Damaged
by Cheshire Kat24
Summary: Living life to its fullest is never easy. A lesson Mewtwo learns the hard way after sustaining an injury that even his abilities cannot heal without help. With his new friends, he embarks on a journey that will define not only his place in the world, but that of his entire species.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Lost

"I'm so sorry Two." Sabrina whispered. Cold night air rushed past her skin, long dark lonely streets seemed to extend to the horizon, further increasing her desperation. Her breath came in short choppy gasps that burned her throat and lungs. Her feet were cut and bleeding, and each step she took was agony. She had kicked off the pointless dress shoes over five blocks ago and now ran with only a thin layer of nylon to protect her from broken glass and gravel. Consciousness was slipping fast. She had to keep going, she had to help him.

"I'm sorry…I think I lost them." She paused for one crucial moment and looked over her shoulder, scanning the darkness for any movement. She tried to pick up speed again and her ankle twisted as she tripped over a pothole that had been hidden in the darkness. Her face bit the asphalt, gravel and dirt ground into her cheek. Even through the pain of the fall, she held tightly to the Masterball in her arms. Right now it was the only thing in the world that mattered to her. The Gym Leader was almost defenseless, her psychic powers had been exhausted hours ago. She lay there for a moment, thinking about the events of the past few hours. Her body ached, her mind felt distorted. She thought about stopping now, to cease all running and just lay here in the street for the cops to find her the next morning. That wouldn't do. She had a promise to keep.

Sabrina rolled over and looked up at the night sky. The stars shone brightly despite her desperate situation. Something normal in an otherwise abnormal world. The sight of those many sparkling lights set part of her mind at ease. She pulled herself to her feet and started running for the Pokemon Center up the street. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have tried to challenge him."

* * *

Nurse Joy yawned and looked up from her station behind the main desk. It had been a long night, and trainers from all over the continent had been here earlier to participate in a local festival. Which one she wasn't sure of, not like she could take the time off to attend them anyway. Usually she would lock the Center down for the night, leaving only the emergency services open, but tonight that little nagging voice in the back of her head told her not to. Which brought about a mental argument about whether she should go ahead and do it. After all, it was on long nights like this that out of boredom she started talking to herself. It usually took her a while to get out of the habit. And tended to creep out the people around her.

Joy turned her attention to the computer terminal next to her, perhaps that would provide a decent enough distraction. "I need to get those reports typed up anyway." She mumbled. At least she had stopped shouting out loud. The Pokemon nurse had no sooner sat down, when the door weakly swung open. In the quiet of the Center she could distinctly hear bare feet slapping the floor, closely followed by the sound of a muted thud. Before she had even sat up to look, Joy knew that this was going to be a busy evening. She steeled herself, then peeked around the monitor and gasped.

Gym Leader Sabrina of Saffron City was crawling toward the counter, not walking, not limping, but laying flat on the floor crawling. Sabrina shifted and Joy could see she held a blue and white Master Ball in her very tired hands. "Joy…" Sabrina's breath came in shallow breaths. "H…h...help...this…Poke...mon."

Nurse Joy neglected procedure and vaulted over the counter, grabbing a cordless phone on her way. "Hold on, I'm calling the hospital!" She carefully accepted the ball from Sabrina's hands and placed it on the counter.

"Help him..." Sabrina panted

"I will, just be still." Joy checked to see if Sabrina had any visible injuries.

"My head hurts…" Sabrina's voice sounded like a whimper.

"Shhh…" Joy couldn't hit the buttons fast enough. It seemed to take forever to hit three simple digits. Why she didn't have that particular number on speed dial never crossed her mind. Sabrina's eyelids fluttered. She opened and closed her eyes, trying to keep her focus. "Stay with me Sabrina."

The Gym leader's eyes closed one last time. Her body relaxed and her breathing slowed.

C_lose the gates now Joy!_ Sabrina's voice seemed to come from all corners of the room. Joy paused and looked around. No, the Gym Leader was still passed out on the floor.

"How are you…?"

_I'm astral projecting; it saves energy in my physical body. I can't keep it up for long though._ _Joy! They're coming. Close the gates now!_

"Right." She stood up and reached over the counter, searching for the panel to activate the gates. "Where's that button?" She pushed aside a bunch of files, spilling them onto the floor. "There," She hit the huge red button underneath a loose paper. The Pokemon Center echoed with the sound of chain link fences and gates rolling shut and locking.

_Lights off! Lights off!_ Sabrina's voice came again.

"I am, give me a moment." Joy clutched the phone to her chest.

"Hello? 911."

"Hello, this is Nurse Joy from the Pokemon Center." Joy ran across the room and turned off the light switch. Then began looking for a place to hide. By the sound of Sabrina's mental voice, there was reason for concern. "I have a seriously injured Pokemon Gym Leader here. She just came in, and she's bleeding."

"_Okay, calm down, tell me everything you can."_

Joy grabbed Sabrina's arm and dragged her to a dark corner.

"_Is everything okay? You sound frightened,"_

"That's because I am." Joy sat down next to Sabrina, looking through the chain link. She could see them now. Dark shapes were moving around outside, rising from the bushes and coming in from the streets. "Who are they?"

"_Who? What? Talk to me Joy? Joy?"_

"Someone is outside…"

"_Help is coming right now."_

"I need an ambulance." Joy tried to regain control of her fear. " Please hurry!"

The dark shapes outside walked up to the window. Joy could make out large red "R"s on their chests. For a moment she sat still and silent. Team Rocket. What would Team Rocket want with the Pokemon Center? They didn't have any rare or valuable Pokemon in at the moment. Unless…Joy looked to her side at Sabrina. Were they trying to find the Gym Leader? Joy watched with wide eyes as the Rocket members inspected the windows and doors, then left.

"They didn't see me…how come they didn't they see me?"

_Easy you idiot, because despite the bright white dress you were hiding in the shadows._

"_Joy!?"_

Joy gave a small shriek, and covered her chest. She took a deep breath to calm herself then held the phone to her ear. "I'm here,"

"_Are you okay? Are the people still outside? Help is on the way."_

"Thank you." She held onto the phone. Nurse Joy could feel her heart hammering in her chest like some lost bird. The Center suddenly rang with a loud metallic pop. Joy screamed and scrambled away from the counter. "What was that?" She looked for the source of the sound then saw the Master Ball rolling away in the half-light. "It just fell off the counter Joy, it just…I need to stop freaking out." She looked down at Sabrina and then up at the ball. She placed the phone on Sabrina's chest. "She said to help him…" Joy gained her feet cautiously. "My first and foremost responsibility is for the Pokemon."

She walked over to the ball and picked it up. The thing had almost been completely destroyed. A large scratch ran down the side taking some of the blue paint with it. A huge dent had been made on the white half, but falling of the counter didn't cause that. Some parts were scorched and burned, and the "M" was all but non-existent. The ball itself felt heavy, meaning that a Pokemon of considerable size was inside.

Red and blue lights ran across the back wall. Officer Jenny along with a few other squad cars and an ambulance had arrived. "Joy!" Jenny ran up to the door, lifted a hand and peeked inside. "Joy! Are you alright?"

"Now I am!" Joy ran behind the desk and opened the gates. "Jenny! You won't believe what happened!"

* * *

"Poor Sabrina." Joy sighed after finally bidding Jenny goodbye. Reports had to be filed, and Jenny had suggested plenty of rest and chocolate. When Joy said that she didn't have time for either, Jenny responded by giving her a box of her favorite chocolates. She was going to save them for when the shift was over, but Joy needed them more than Jenny did. Joy smiled when she remembered their old tradition. Ever since they were children, she and Jenny sit together on stormy nights, drinking hot chocolate and watching the lightning. When one had trouble, the other had always been there.

Joy shut the door after Jenny. Thankfully no trainers had shown up during all the trouble. She studied the box of chocolates, betting that Jenny had already had a few. If she ate all the dark chocolate truffles there would be trouble.

"Trouble?" Joy set the box down, and brought her hand to her cheek. "The ball!" She ran behind the counter and picked it up from where she had put it next to the computer. During all the chaos it had completely slipped her mind. "Oh please be alive, please be alright." From her training she knew that the in the event that the Pokemon had died the ball would open. As she moved to the examination room offering a simple prayer. "Please don't let it be something dangerous."

Joy opened the door to the back room. Pokemon that had been sleeping peacefully earlier were now wide-awake from all the noise outside. Nurse Joy went to a small examination room where an observation table sat in the center.

"This is too much stress for one night, my sister in Pewter City would never behave like this. Here goes." Joy activated the ball. Blue light instead of the familiar red spread across the table and solidified a form. The ball slipped from her hands and clattered on the floor. _This is just too much, I need someone else here…_

A long grayish-purple shape lay on the table. Its chest slowly rose and fell with labored breathing. Joy had seen wounded Pokemon before, but not one like this. This was definitely a rare one, and just when she thought she had seen just about everything come through here. It lay facing her, eyes half open, as was its mouth. A long purple tail weakly twitched, slowly curling, and uncurling. "What happened?" Joy breathed as she put a hand on the gray shoulder. It had soft very short fur, much like the skin of a peach, it had a light shine to it, almost like velvet. She could feel something warm and sticky under her fingers. She pulled her hand away to reveal dark red almost black blood. She almost jumped when her Chancey assistant entered the room with a tray of potions.

Joy walked around the table and ran her gaze from the tip of his feet to its head, then a rather large dark red spot that seemed to pulsate from within. "What?" She came forward to study it. "Oh no…"

Joy ran out of the room and grabbed the phone again. She quickly dialed a number then began babbling. It had taken her a full minute to realize that she had been staring at the back of its head, and the pulsating mass was its brain.

* * *

…_two hours earlier…_

"So, what is this match about Sabrina?"

"I just wanted a friendly battle. It has been a while since I've had the chance to put my skills to the test. Worthy Pokemon Trainers seem to be a vanishing breed lately." Sabrina rested three Pokeballs on the table between them. "Me and you." She blinked her big purple eyes. "Come on Giovanni, you know you want to."

Giovanni sat back in his chair a little further and rubbed his chin. "So be it." An anticipatory spread across his face. "Be in my gym in ten minutes."

"I'll be there in five.."

Sabrina took a place at one end of the huge remodeled Pokemon Gym. Giovanni had really gone all out with this recent incarnation. The floor had been constructed of League-grade clay, the lines painted on professionally, and both combatants had little platforms to stand on with holographic readout of the progression of the battle. The walls were covered in carvings of all the known Pokemon. By habit, Sabrina scanned for her favorite, and then found him. Near Giovanni's balcony.

_Mewtwo?_ She asked telepathically.

_I am here._

_Do you think you're ready for this?_

_I know I am._

Sabrina had taken on quite a challenge. As a Gym leader she felt obligated to try and do something. She had proof that Giovanni had been harvesting more than his fair share of endangered and wild Pokemon, and due to his Gym leader status, the laws were in his favor. Many others had failed when they tried to stop or even hinder his actions. Sabrina wanted a decent match in the hopes that he would pull out one of his more Rare Pokemon. She could then take the record of their battle to the League and have his Gym Leader license pulled. She then said to Mewtwo, _I feel excited to be doing the right thing._

_I agree. Even though this is somewhat an act of revenge._

_What if we lose?_

_Against what? He doesn't have me and that eats him up every day of his life._

_You sound as if you're going to enjoy this._

_Rest assured, I will._

_Just stay hidden until I need you, okay?_

_ Of course._

Sabrina looked up and saw Giovanni take a seat in his chair, followed by two members of Team Rocket. But it took only a glance to see that they were not the infamous Jesse and James. He snapped his fingers and one of his escorts set a thick glass on the table, added five cubes of ice, and then poured a generous amount of scotch in the glass. "Are you ready to battle?" He asked while picking up the drink.

"Yes." Sabrina levitated three Pokeballs before her, and pulled one from the air.

"Best out of three?"

"Sounds reasonable." Sabrina raised her Pokeball. "Kadabra, go!" A red bolt jumped from the ball and Kadabra formed on the floor.

"Hhmmmm…" Giovanni took a sip of his scotch. "I'll match you for it." He snapped his fingers and the assistant on his left picked a ball from a selection at Giovanni's side. The assistant threw the Pokeball and Giovanni's own Kadabra appeared.

_You know Two, I really hate this guy._

_I know the feeling._

Sabrina turned her attention to the match. "Kadabra, Psybeam!" She shouted, a little excited with enthusiasm that would have been non-existent a year ago.

"Teleport." Giovanni said calmly. Giovanni's Kadabra vanished before the beam could hit.

Sabrina groaned. "Kadabra! Watch out!"

Giovanni's Kadabra suddenly appeared behind Sabrina's and then used Psybeam.

_No, I mean, I REALLY hate this guy._ She snorted.

_Calm down Sabrina. Who would have thought I would become friends with a human with a worse temper than mine?_

_You're not as much of a comedian as Haunter, Two._

_I'm wasn't trying to be, but you can exaggerate your shortcomings._

_Just let me fight this match._

_Are you sure you don't need any help?_

_I can win this myself!_ She snapped.

_As you wish._ He backed down from the argument. Now was not the time nor place.

Sabrina yanked a second Pokeball out of the air when Kadabra hit the clay and didn't get up again. She cursed under her breath.

"You have improved only slightly Sabrina." Giovanni held out his now empty glass and the girl at his side refilled it.

_How did he finish that one glass so quickly?_

"Well, I guess Kadabra can't win them all." Sabrina called Kadabra back. _I absolutely hate losing on purpose Two._

_You did that on purpose?_ He countered.

_Shut-up smart-ass._

"I call Haunter." Sabrina threw her ball on the floor. It had taken her forever to get Haunter in the ball. She finally had to get Mewtwo to weaken him for her so the ghost would comply, and now the brat wasn't coming out. _Two?_

Haunter suddenly shot out of the ball.

_Thank you Two._

"A Haunter?" Giovanni snapped his fingers again. "I'll match you yet another time."

Sabrina winced as Haunter lost the match. Even though her own Haunter was more powerful, all her Pokemon had strict orders to botch the match somehow. Haunter was an excellent actor, if a bit melodramatic at times.

"You're not even trying." Giovanni said from his balcony. His Persian sat at his side, enjoying a good head scratch.

_ I've got a bad feeling about this Two._

_We can't turn back now._

_Are you ready then?_

_Yes._

"I have one more Pokemon." Sabrina folded her arms. "I call, Mewtwo."

Giovanni leaned forward in his seat, almost bringing his features into the light. Mewtwo floated down from the high ceiling and landed softly on the clay floor.

_You have rebuilt the arena._ Mewtwo commented.

"Yes, but when I did, I also added a few improvements. I knew you'd inevitably come back."

Sabrina glanced around. The panels she had been admiring before suddenly slid open revealing machinery beyond. Her body vibrated with Mewtwo's sudden psychic field. She turned her gaze to Mewtwo, who was staring intently at Giovanni. Even in the shadows, she could see that Giovanni was glaring back.

The machinery behind the panels came alive and shot out, all aiming for Mewtwo.

_Two! Watch out!_

_What?_ He turned and froze when pieces of metal restraining armor started homing in on him. _Barrier!_ He called out. Yet nothing happened. _I can't move, why? I've never been this frightened before… _

"_Two!"_ Sabrina screamed, attempting to use her own psychic powers to deflect the attack.

Memories of the restraining armor rose from their graves, ghosts coming back to haunt him when he least needed it. The helmet came closer, swinging around, and he could see the HUD flicker on the inside. A weight suddenly slammed into his leg, knocking him over. His first thought was that a leg-cuff had gotten him, but the cuffs were not that big. What had hit him? Mewtwo spun around and saw the armor engulf Sabrina. Bright electric blue and white bolts circled her body. The armor wasn't designed for her, and the shock was overloading her nervous system. The armor shorted out. The electricity stopped suddenly and Sabrina dropped to the floor.

_No! Sabrina!_ Mewtwo flew over next to her. She had actually managed to slam him a good distance. Her green hair had become tangled and frayed in the cords of the armor, her legs folded underneath her and her fingers twitched as the last after shocks of the electricity grounded. Mewtwo landed and began to tear the armor off. _No! Sabrina! Breathe!_

Sabrina moaned as he pulled off the helmet. "Two…Get out,"

"Oh this is touching." Giovanni stood up on his balcony. The two agents behind him each pulled a ball from their collection and held them ready to attack at their employers command.

Sabrina sat up weakly. She shook off an arm and leg cuff. A shock like that would have killed a normal human, good thing she wasn't a "normal" human. "Get out, this was a bad idea,"

_I'm not leaving you behind._

"You know Sabrina," Giovanni called out. "There's one thing I've learned that Pokemon aren't immune to." He pulled something from his coat. "That, my little psychic powerhouse, would be a bullet."

Mewtwo felt a weight hit his head with a force he couldn't describe. Only after he lifted his hand to investigate did he hear the arena echo with a somewhat muted pop. _What?_ He froze, then put a hand to his head.

"Two?" Sabrina finished removing the last of the armor. "Two?"

"You have no need to worry about the little science experiment. One more shot and he's out of both of our miseries." Giovanni sneered.

Sabrina didn't hear him. All of her focus was stolen by the sight of her dear friend in agony. She froze when a small trickle of dark red blood started seeping between Mewtwo's fingers. A familiar taste of iron came into her mouth. She only felt that taste when she saw blood, and there was a lot of blood. "Two?" She asked, yet already felt deep in her gut that the worst had happened.

"You are no longer needed Mewtwo." Giovanni raised the gun to fire again.

Sabrina snapped out of her stupor and whipped out a Masterball. She captured a still shocked Mewtwo before a second bullet hit, then tucked the ball under her arm. Two more shots hit the floor around her as she jumped up and ran for the nearest exit at the side of the Gym.

Giovanni calmly released the revolvers cylinder, and dumped the empty shells onto the table next to him. "Makes the game a bit more interesting." He tapped a button mounted on the table, alerting the rest of Team Rocket. "Persian, after her." He said while reloading the gun. Persian jumped from the balcony and started after Sabrina who already disappeared down a hall.

_I'm sorry Two, I can't believe it. The bastard shot him in the head, right in his head…What kind of monster is this Gym leader?_ She heard a deep growl behind her and turned her head enough to see Giovanni's prized Persian coming up the hall fast. "Kadabra go! Our lives depend on it!"

"Kadabra!"

Sabrina turned and kept running. Kadabra knew how to take care of himself, and knew the way home in case they got separated. Team Rocket Members seemed to come from the very cinderblock that the walls were made of. They jumped in her path, attempted to tackle her, shot at her with ice and electric weapons, and even tried to get their Pokemon to battle her directly. "Haunter!" She threw out her second ball to fend off this new threat. Confronted by a new prize, half of her pursuers turned to battle Haunter, while the others continued chasing Sabrina. _I guess all those years on track paid off._ She thought to herself as she turned a corner An exit door open to the outside came into view at the end of the hall. Almost there, if she could just make it twenty more feet…

Giovanni suddenly stepped from the shadows. Sabrina felt a stinging pain and force come across her face, then the rough feeling of cinder block on her cheek. The ball fell from her hands when she slid to the floor. Giovanni pulled his cane back, returning it to his side. He looked down at the ball, then pushed the button in with his toe causing the ball to open. The blue bolt came and a rather confused Mewtwo solidified on the floor. His head was still bleeding, and seemed to be getting worse.

_Mewtwo?_ Sabrina tried to contact him and went scrambling for the Masterball.

"Stop." Giovanni slammed his cane down hard on her hand, breaking her fingers in the process. Mewtwo looked upward fixing his gaze on the Rocket leader, his eyes glowing blue.

_Mewtwo?_ Sabrina tried again. He didn't answer. _Mewtwo?!_

A low deep chuckle started in Giovanni's throat. "You fool, I made you. I know how to stop you. I only clipped the side of your head, nothing lethal, but enough to knock your powers offline. Now stop acting stupid and make your decision. Either stay with me or die."

Sabrina tried to think of a way to fight back. Her energy was almost spent, and she knew that she had to get Two to a Pokemon Center immediately. _He doesn't know any attacks other than psychic ones, _

Giovanni lowered the gun and placed the barrel between Mewtwo's eyes. The Pokemon's head tilted back a little from the pressure.

"Choose."

_Sabrina,…_ Mewtwo's mental voice was weak and strained, but she could finally hear it. _Help me…_

Sabrina looked Mewtwo over. How could he fight back? _Idiot! He's a Pokemon! Make him realize that!_ It was a long shot, but it might work. She fought back the burning sensation in her lungs and said in the most authoritative voice she could muster. "Um…Mewtwo! Tailwhip!"

"Tailwhip?" Giovanni repeated, his smirk widening into a grin.

Mewtwo took the hint, then suddenly stood and spun around. His massive tail connected solidly with the Gym Leader and sent him sailing down the hall. Giovanni slammed into the corner and spun, landing hard on his hip. Half a dozen Team Rocket members scrambled out of the way. Enraged, Giovanni pulled his beaten body to a stand.

"Tackle!" Sabrina followed it up with another bare-bones basic, yet effective attack.

Without questioning her, Mewtwo rushed in and hit Giovanni hard with his shoulder, sending the man into the wall with all the force and strength his body could muster. The Pokemon spun on his heel, then started hopping back to Sabrina.

"Hurry!" Sabrina grabbed the Masterball again; she could hear Mewtwo close behind her. Giovanni slid down the wall crumpled on the floor. "Come on Two!" Just when it seemed that freedom was in sight, Sabrina's sixth sense kicked in. There was a feeling of dread and fear that she couldn't overcome or explain away. The air was suddenly still and seemed to condense around her. She felt Mewtwo's weight knock her to the floor, then come to rest covering her. "Two," She struggled to move, lifting one hand to drag her body forward. The Gym Leader suddenly froze. The back of her hand had been misted with red water…no, not red water. Blood. She knew blood when she saw it by now. "No." She pulled herself out from under his weight and looked over her shoulder. The iron taste was back, and it felt like she was going to give up her lunch. "Mewtwo…"

"Better run Sabrina." Giovanni lowered his gun while pulling himself to his feet once more. "Makes the hunt even more enjoyable."

She snapped her attention back to Mewtwo. One purple eye slowly half opened, as if he were unsure himself of what had happened. Sabrina picked up the Masterball from the floor beside her and recalled him inside. Giovanni was struggling with his advance, but several members of Team Rocket were closing in fast.

Sabrina stood up, stumbled out of the exit door and started running. She didn't care about her own life. She was determined to keep the promise she and Two had made to each other.

* * *

"It's really been a game of 'Who's that Pokemon'." Nurse Joy said as she opened a door and turned on a light switch. "It must have been horrible for my sister that night. First Team Rocket, then this poor thing. When she called our parents they could barely make out what she was saying. But that's enough about me. I'm so glad you could come, and bring your Pokemon expertise."

"I'm glad to be of service Nurse Joy, and just call me Bill, my formal title is such a mouthful. " He held his hand out, and Nurse Joy shook it politely. Bill was about medium height, with an average build. He had light brown hair that looked as if it hadn't been properly combed in days, and bright cheerful brown eyes.

"This way please Bill." She led him around a small table filled with different super potions, and then pushed another button on the right wall. "Stand back please." A section of the rear wall started to slide open, reveling a huge water tank with a large gray Pokemon inside. Occasionally little strands of bubbles would run up the side of the tank. "Usually we use this set-up for injured water Pokemon, but this was the only way I knew how to stabilize his condition without harming him or causing any further injury."

"Oh…" Bill came slowly forward and put his hands on the glass. "Its beautiful! I have never seen this kind before, yet he seems very familiar somehow." He ran his hands along the smooth glass of the tank, tracing the outlines of the shape. "What are his injuries?"

"Gym Leader Sabrina brought him in one night. She was pretty beat up herself. She gave my sister a Masterball and he was inside, once we examined him we discerned that someone had shot him. The bullet passed right through the back of his skull and out of the crown of his head."

_Where am I? _

"And Sabrina? Where is she now?" Bill asked.

_My head…_

"She's been in a coma for the past week."

_Sabrina? _

"Poor woman,"

In a state of half-sleep, Mewtwo tried to project his thought. _Sabrina?_ Pain exploded in his mind, one cold long white flash that eventually settled into a dull reddish throb. He felt as if someone had ripped his skull open and decided to stomp on its contents.

Bill noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his full attention to the tank. "Joy! Look!" The huge purple Pokemon Had suddenly shifted and was now holding his head and thrashing around. His features had twisted into an expression of torment. "He's conscious, can you get him out?"

"I will try, but see if you can get him to stop moving first!" Joy jumped backward startled when his huge purple tail hit the glass of the tank.

Mewtwo paused for a moment; every move brought a new wave of pain. Beyond the faded green glass he saw a small round face pressed against the cold surface. It was the first time he had opened his eyes to survey his new surroundings, but the new information flooding into his brain did nothing to quell the pain. The face itself was rather pleasant and cheerful. The face was also shouting, but Mewtwo couldn't hear or even care about what was being said.

_I need to get out! Where am I? What is this prison?_ He bit back the pain and started to move again, trying to use any attack he could think of to break the glass. Instead or comforting energy at his finger tips, the pain exploded again, consuming his mind in a wave of solid pressure that was followed by nauseating white heat that then gradually subsided in waves of pulsating stinging pain. _My head…what is wrong with me?_

The water slowly started to drain. Mewtwo felt his feet touch the grating on the bottom, and then lacking the energy to stand, he fell and lay down on his side, still holding his head. The green glass slid down. Bill came forward and reached out, to check his pulse and other immediate vital signs. Satisfied, his hand rested on Mewtwo huge grayish-purple shoulder.

"Poor thing, what happened? Who are you?" He asked, knowing that if anything, all Pokemon could at least communicate on a basic level.

_I am-_ Pain again, accompanied by ringing in his ears. Mewtwo could no longer project his voice telepathically. Then came the almost expected flash. Cold and white, almost as if some rare variety of Pikachu had gotten loose in his head and was hell-bent on using every attack in its little fluffy body.

Bill backed away when the Pokemon shifted. Injured Pokemon were known to lash out anyone, friend of foe. So far, it was in a fetal position tentatively holding the sides of its head. "Oh?" He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at a bit of blood seeping from the Pokemons ear. "What's this?" He looked over his shoulder at Nurse Joy. "Have you given him any painkillers?"

"No. We weren't sure what species his is, or even what type. We need to know these this so it doesn't cause any further injury to him."

_What is going on? Where is Sabrina? What is causing this pain?_ Mewtwo opened his eyes more slowly this time and examined the room he was in. A table, light pink walls, two Humans, five chairs, and aside from what he was laying in, there was nothing else.

"Joy," Bill examined the blood on his handkerchief. "I think we're dealing with a psychic type. The injury must have destroyed something that enabled him to use his powers. That would be explain why he is struggling so much."

_WHAT? _

"That would explain a lot, and does make sense. It's really amazing he's even alive." Joy walked toward Mewtwo with her stethoscope raised. "We tried our best, and almost had a family reunion bring in as many people as we could to save him, but some of his brain was damaged, and had to be removed."

_My brain? MY BRAIN?_ Mewtwo picked his head up and opened his eyes in disbelief. The pain he felt in this motion was washed away by his shock.

"I think he heard you." Bill said softly.

_Human, you couldn't even imagine…My brain…No! This cannot be! I am worthless without my powers! I cannot speak or communicate! _

"What do you think we should do with him until Sabrina comes out of her coma?" Joy asked Bill.

_Coma?_

"I will take care of and study him at my home."

Mewtwo pushed back the memory of the scientists. _I will not be studied! I will not be kept in a ball for personal use! I must tell them! I must find Sabrina! Why all of this at once? Why now? I must speak! _

"m…mm.."

Bill and Joy paused mid conversation as the strange Pokemon began making equally strange noises. They watched, wary of the obvious struggle written on the Pokemon's features.

"mmm…."

"Is he trying to speak?" Joy reached for her clipboard.

"I believe so," Bill leaned a little closer, curiosity having gotten the better of him.

_I can do this, I remember the way the words sounded, even how they were spelled. If I can just make the sounds, if I can convey the idea… _

"Mmm…Mew…Mewtwo." His eyes suddenly opened wide and purple. _So that's it, I am just a normal Pokemon. I cannot say anything other than my name. _

"Did he say 'Mewtwo'?" Joy asked softly.

"Yes," Bill was in another world. "Mewtwo."

Mewtwo covered his face with his hand, as if to hide his shame of defeat. _I must find Sabrina, even though I am no use to her now. _

* * *

"Here you are Bill!" Joy said cheerfully. "One dented, blasted, and totaled Master Pokeball."

Bill reached out to accept the orb. "Good Heavens! This is what he arrived in?"

"Yes, and he was very reluctant to go back inside. I had to eventually sneak up on him." She gave him a pack of papers. "Please read these before you let him out. This Pokemon has the potential to be very dangerous, and we were unable to gauge his level of training. He put a few holes in the walls with those legs of his while trying to escape, and not to mention he scared the other Pokemon at the Center. I hope you know what you're getting into Bill."

Bill nodded, all joking put aside. "I've dealt with chaotic Pokemon before. I will take all precautions to ensure the safety of both the Pokemon and myself. Mewtwo will be safe."

"I've had to handle bad Pokemon before too, but this one takes the cake. Please be careful."

"I will, thank you Joy."

"You're very welcome, and good luck."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A New Friend

Mewtwo suddenly found himself on a stone floor with small wisps of energy from the Master Ball leaving his fur. The last thing in his conscious memory was hopping up a long light pink hallway being chased by Nurse Joy and that cursed Master Ball. He didn't know how she had finally gotten the drop on him, but at least he left some good-sized holes in the walls for her trouble. Wanting to explore his surroundings he slowly turned and saw a half-opened Master Ball on the floor. _There you are…_ Now that the object of his ire had been located, he stood and whacked it with his tail. The ball went flying and smashed to crystalline shards on a stone pillar beside him, never to contain another Pokémon again.

"My, my. I knew some Pokémon hated being inside those things, but you take it to a whole new level," Bill said around the lip of a coffee mug. "Welcome to my home. My name is Bill." He put the mug down on a coffee table and came forward. "Pokémon Expert and inventor of the PC storage system." Mewtwo looked around and found himself in a large room with a cathedral ceiling and what looked like a throne at one end. "Oh, the décor." Bill noticed his expression of confusion and gestured to the rest of the room. "It used to be a church, then a Pokémon Gym, now it's just home."

_ Where am I?_ Mewtwo held his head again and almost doubled over. _Oh yeah, almost forgot about that. _

"I wish I knew some other way to help you." Bill picked up his coffee mug. "Are you hungry?"

_ Let's see if I can at least remember how to nod,_ Mewtwo thought sarcastically, then nodded an affirmative.

"So you do understand people speak." Bill spun on his heel and led the Pokémon through a small doorway that seemed to lack the flair of the rest of the room. "This is the kitchen. I don't have a very wide variety of Pokémon food but I'll see what I can find." He started rummaging around through his cupboards.

Mewtwo gained his feet and wobbled a little. Before he had used his powers to help him walk, or even fly from place to place. It was as natural as breathing to him. Now he found that his body was horribly bad at balancing itself out, and his tail was much too long and bulky to allow him to walk upright. Now not only did he need to learn to speak all over again, but walk as well. His first steps were small, but soon he managed to gain the locomotion needed to move himself forward.

After a moment, Mewtwo stepped foot into Bill's rather large kitchen. An island in the middle contained a stove surface, and a few scattered cutting boards. The floor and the counter tops were red tile, perfectly matching the red brick the rest of the kitchen was made of. A huge chrome refrigerator dominated one corner. Mewtwo started walking toward it, but the huge floor-to-ceiling window gave a commanding view of the ocean and steeply sloping cliffs and quickly stole his attention. Outside the window he could see a deck and railing made accessible by a screen door near the refrigerator. For a moment he watched the ocean's glass-like surface breathe and roll before crashing against the cliffs, producing huge sprays of foaming mist on the rocks. _I could stand here for hours. _

"Wonderful view, eh?" Bill pulled a few jars down from the cupboard. Most of them appeared to have some kind of brown or green pellets inside that rattled around, indicating that they were both hard and tasteless. "Like I said, I don't have very many varieties of Pokémon food, but I'll do my best." Bill examined each jar, weighing his thoughts on each one before selecting the fullest of the three.

He turned to see Mewtwo's long purple tail coming from the open fridge door. The sound of plastic drawers screeching open could be heard before Mewtwo raised his head. A piece of lettuce dangled out of the Pokémon's mouth and he had the whole head clutched in his right hand. A little nibble and the lettuce disappeared behind white teeth. "I suppose you know what you're after then." Bill watched silently as he ripped another piece off the head of lettuce greedily, and then tested the screen door behind him. It opened with the patented screen door rattle and creak, then slammed shut when he went outside. Bill refilled his coffee mug and went to join him. "Mewtwo?" Bill asked as the Pokémon plopped down in a chair on the balcony. It seemed he landed a little heavier than he intended to. A few Pidgey flew overhead. "I already know that you are a rare and special Pokémon, and that you can speak – or once could. You must be very intelligent. I can tell by the frustration in your eyes. If there's anything I can do, then please let me know somehow."

Mewtwo nodded. He was getting quite good at that.

Bill went on. "My home is your home until you recover, maybe even longer. But for now, enjoy the lettuce. There is plenty more where that came from. If there are any other foods you like, I will be happy to go shopping for you. You will need your strength."

_ More than you know human..._ Mewtwo thought bitterly to himself. He ripped off another piece of lettuce, and ate that hungrily too. He supposed that later he would take Bill up on his offer to gather more food. The man had to be single, there was barely any food in the fridge to begin with. Sensing that he would get no more answers from the Pokémon, Bill picked up his drink and went back inside the kitchen, where he could keep on eye on him and give the creature his privacy as well.

_ All of this suddenly._ Mewtwo tried to gather his thoughts. _Where is Sabrina? How long was I unconscious? I would run from here, but I have nothing to protect myself, or any knowledge of where I am. Why can't I use my powers? Can't speak, can't do anything. Just sit around and waste space. _

"Mew!"

_ Mew?_ Mewtwo sat up and began searching the skies for the familiar shape of his friend. A little pink cat-like Pokémon hovered up over the railing of the deck, then paused. Its expression as always was curious and inquisitive, made even more so by big blue eyes. _What –_ He held his head again. Funny how he had to keep reminding himself not to use his powers. The pain slowly subsided, it wasn't as severe now that he had something to eat.

"Mew mew?"

Mewtwo knew that this translated to "What's wrong?" Good, at least that part of his brain still worked. _How can I speak to him?_

"I can hear you just fine." Mew Poké-spoke back.

_ How? _He didn't project the thought; it just came as part of his curiosity.

"Easy ya grouch. I can read minds too!" Mew floated in closer. "And where in the name of Dialga's chode have you been?"

_ With a friend, Sabrina, a human. Your information was correct. Giovanni has been spearheading a campaign to collect endangered and rare Pokémon, to what ends I don't know. Sabrina and I tried to confront him. We were not successful. She is injured, as am I. I lost my powers during the battle. What good can I possibly do now? _

"Sounds like you've been busy." Mew made a few bubbles, then popped them in the order he made them. "As for your powers, they'll return. It'll take some time. Giovanni and Team Rocket aren't going anywhere! Besides, they're having some issues in their ranks. In the meantime, lighten up! Learn some humility! Enjoy the vacation!"

_ What vacation? That's not funny, Mew. _

"Not to you, but I gotta tell ya, it's kinda funny to see Mr. High and Mighty himself knocked off his Rapidash!" He flipped around a few times.

_ And I'm supposed to find that humorous? _

"You're alive ain't ya? That says more than anything else right now. I have to say that I'm happy you made it out alive." Mew watched Mewtwo's expression grow suddenly distant. "Life is a learning experience. Now that you have time, learn all you can."

_ And what are you going to do? _

"First, I'm gonna get some ass, and then I'm gonna get some sleep!" Mew giggled; his otherwise adorable pink-furred exterior often betrayed his true motives. "You should probably get some sleep too."

_ I've slept so much already. A few more hours couldn't hurt. _

"Great! See ya later!"

_ You're leaving already? _

"Yep!"

Mewtwo watched Mew's form disappear from sight into the horizon. _I want to go home too. I want my hammock. I want to spend half the night sitting up with Sabrina again. I want my books. I want life back to how it was before…I want to fly._ Mewtwo looked at the green mass of leaves in his hands before ripping off another piece. _Ai told me to live…but why does it have to hurt so much? _

* * *

"Hold on! Just a minute!" Bill ran into the main room and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Bill! It's Nurse Joy! I called to see how Mewtwo was doing."

"Oh Joy! It's been a few weeks since I've heard from you. Is Sabrina out of it yet?"

"Sadly, no."

"That's sad to hear. Mewtwo has been doing fine. He hasn't regained his powers yet, but I think he has managed to fit into life here."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Well, for instance, he has a set pattern in his day. Morning, it's black coffee with lots of sugar-"

"You let him have coffee?!"

Bill winced then quickly explained. "He refuses the pellets. I've tried even sneaking them into his food. The result was one very large bruise from that tail of his."

"He hit you?!" Joy shouted again, causing Bill to hold the phone away from his ear this time.

"It was my fault anyway, back to what I was saying. Coffee in the morning, followed by toast – no butter on it, he despises dairy products – usually jam or jelly accompanies breakfast. Cereals without milk, and usually follows it up with a gallon of orange juice. Lunch consists of fruits and dinner is always one huge salad."

"No meats?"

"I could understand why." Bill played with the phone cord. "He is great company, sometimes a bit cold, but then, I suppose it's his nature. After breakfast he goes for long walks outside, and I can usually find him by the cliffs. After dinner he reads, or watches the news with me."

"And he reads?" Joy began to sound skeptical.

"Oh yes! Anything he can get his hands on!" Bill was now too caught up in describing daily life with Mewtwo to notice the change in her voice. "And he can write! Very nice handwriting I might add."

"That's quite amazing, Bill. It's a good thing I have him scheduled for a check-up soon."

"Oh, you want me to bring him there then?"

"Yes, and then you may be able to take him to the hospital to see Sabrina."

"Well, that is good news."

"Figured you would like it. Where is Mewtwo now?"

"Um…" Bill peeked out the nearest window. "He's outside, by the cliffs, he spends a lot of time there. I think he just looks at the ocean,"

"I have him scheduled for the twenty-second."

"I'll tell him. He'll be happy." Bill sighed, and then mumbled under his breath, "Or whatever passes for happy in his mind."

"Good! We'll see you then!" Joy's end clicked lightly.

Bill hung up the phone, and looked out the window again. Mewtwo was sitting down with his back toward the lighthouse. Staring at the ocean. Bill didn't know what it was he did out there, but he knew that this was not a good time to bother him. "I'll just tell him when he comes back in then, over dinner perhaps."

* * *

_I've been round and round this so many times. I've come to accept somewhat that I can't use my powers, and the ones I can use are no use to me anyway. Even those cause much pain._ Mewtwo sighed and looked up at the clouds. A small pink form lightly skittered on the silver surface, then vanished. _Mew is never far. Why does he care so much about me? It's because of me the majority of the Pok__é__mon have been captured._ Vague memories of capturing herds of Tauros and Gyarados rose in his mind. _And now I can't even fix what I've done. How long can this continue? What will become of me?_ He looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were building on the horizon. _A storm is coming._ He stood and went back inside the lighthouse.

"Nurse Joy called today,"

_ Wonderful._ Mewtwo started fishing around through the cupboards for his bag of croutons.

"In about a week, I need to take you back to the Pokémon Center for a check-up."

_ I can barely contain my joy,_ Mewtwo thought sarcastically then found the croutons and dumped them in his salad.

Bill watched the Pokémon come to the table and sit down. "She managed to track down Sabrina, and which hospital she's in. After your appointment, we'll go see her." He continued, trying to bait Mewtwo into something that could resemble a conversation.

Mewtwo looked at his hands. Bill had been very understanding of him, even went out of his way to buy a fork that Mewtwo could use with his huge fingers. _I strive so much to be human, to be accepted, yet I'm not human, and I am accepted – unconditionally so by both Sabrina and Bill. The human has tried so hard to make me feel comfortable. Even Mew has not given up on me. I suppose that I have been a little ungrateful at the time I need help the most. It is so hard to beat down my pride and ask for it, though. _

Bill felt confusion settle in as a sly smile spread across the Pokémon's face. Mewtwo didn't usually smile at all, let alone at dinner.

"Th…th…thank…you…Bill."

Bill backed away from the table and stood up. Mewtwo liked seeing humans in this state of confusion, and this was a rare treat. Bill looked around the room trying to find the source of the voice and finally let his worried gaze settle on Mewtwo. "_You_ said that, didn't you?"

"Y...y...yes." Mewtwo was forced to broaden his smile at Bill's display of confusion. _Great, soon I'll start giggling uncontrollably like Mew. _

Bill sat back down, his face alive with curiosity. "How did you learn how to talk?" He scooted a little closer to the table, once again all caution thrown to the wind in light of this new discovery.

"I…taught…my...self." Mewtwo struggled with the words. "It…is…very…hard for…Po...Po..." He rested his head in his hand. _Think!_ "For...Po...Pok – Mew."

Bill tried to suppress his smile as Mewtwo's eyes rolled sarcastically upward. It wasn't working.

"For Po-kay-mon," he spat out every syllable, "to speak."

"I can tell." Bill's eyes seemed to grow bigger by the minute. "But you have managed to accomplish it in a few short days! How amazing!"

"Be...fore...I would...speak...with... my...mind." Mewtwo struggled with the words. Before ideas and concepts would fly from him directly to the minds of his listeners with quite literally the speed of thought. Making these guttural noises with his throat and lips was downright primitive and frustrating. "I cannot...speak that...way...now."

"Why?" Bill asked, oblivious to Mewtwo's struggles.

"This…pain...comes." He tapped his head.

"Does your head hurt now?"

"Yes."

"I'll bet you feel a bit relieved now that you have some of the skill back." Bill finally took a bite of his dinner.

"Mewtwo." He hit his head with the palm of his hand in frustration, then hissed, "Yesssss."

"How extraordinary! Even though you have managed to speak human tongue, you still revert back to Poké-speak – I don't mean it in a bad way, I'm just theorizing aloud. Each Pokémon has its own unique language, as complex as humans. Amazing that you know them all fluently, and English! Oh the thesis I could write!"

"I am…not…a…research project…" Mewtwo picked up his fork, pointing it at Bill in a threatening manner.

"I never said you were," Bill said around the lip of his coffee mug. He decided the best thing to do right now was humor the bad-tempered Pokémon who happened to have a very sharp object in his hand. "So, what happened?"

It took the better part of an hour and plenty of goof-ups before the whole story was out. When Mewtwo finished, his command of human-speak had definitely improved.

"So let me get this right," Bill finished off his third cup of coffee. "You and Sabina tried to stop Giovanni, but you got shot in the head instead, right?"

"Essentially."

Bill was suddenly silent. He sat back in his chair and folded his arms. Many emotions warred for dominance on his features, but disgust seemed to win out every time. Finally the worry lines smoothed and he said softly, "Your speech has gotten much better." Mewtwo was starting to become familiar with Bill's avoidance techniques.

"Is it hard to face that a human could be so cruel?" Mewtwo finished off his third bowl of salad. "Why does it hurt you so much? Do you feel the same?"

"I feel this way because you are special. As a scientist and researcher, it angers me that someone could be so heartless to a clearly gifted Pokémon like you." Bill put his empty mug down. His face seemed to be searching for questions, for clues into what should be done. "How do we stop him? Do you hate him for what he did to you?"

"I hate him with an intensity I cannot describe."

"But-"

"And I can do nothing at present." Mewtwo seemed suddenly even more cold than usual.

"I didn't mean to anger you." Bill found himself sitting at the table with a tightly wound ball of purple frustration. Mewtwo was capable of such intense emotions. He looked out the window as if distracted. "I'm sorry."

"You have been more than generous on your part. I just want to find Sabrina and get my life back." Mewtwo pushed his salad bowl aside.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Bill asked with a soft smile.

"She is my best friend. As psychics we have an understanding of each other that is hard to explain to non-psychics."

"She must be a remarkable person to earn your friendship." Bill looked back at Mewtwo.

"She would say the same of you."

* * *

"I am not getting inside that thing." Mewtwo folded his arms and put his weight on one leg.

"It's the only way I can ensure your safety. Now just get inside the ball," Bill insisted.

"No." Mewtwo added a growl for emphasis.

"This Master Ball cost me a lot, now come on!" Bill fought to keep the whine from his voice.

"I am not getting in the ball." Mewtwo stepped back, keeping his gaze fixed on the blue and white orb. He pondered the amount of work and research involved in making a Poké Ball capable of capturing humans so they could feel what it was like.

"You want to walk the whole way to the train station? Then I have to pay for your ticket as well!" Bill shouldered his backpack and locked his front door behind him. The wind picked up and carried a small lock of green hair with it.

"You won't have to pay for me. Pokémon ride free," Mewtwo shot back.

"If you say so." Bill put the ball away in his backpack. "Let's get going." He started walking. Mewtwo followed awkwardly behind him. "Your speech has been getting much better, I've barely heard a 'mew' out of you. Except for last night when you slammed your toes against that chair. That one sounded like a curse."

"It was." Mewtwo looked around anxiously. Already he could tell they were going to miss the train. "You don't know much about traveling, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"The train station is a few miles away. We left the lighthouse late. We are not going to make it."

"Nothing I can do about it now."

Mewtwo stood with his arms folded for a moment. He really wanted to see Sabrina as soon as possible, but at best they would catch the next train which would set all of their plans back once they reached their destination. There was still one ace he could play, as humiliating as it was. Biting back his pride in a manner that would make Mew piss himself from laughing, Mewtwo pulled even with Bill, bent over a little and grumbled, "Get on."

"What?" Bill looked at the inviting back.

"Hurry before I change my mind."

"If you insist." Bill climbed on gingerly and swung his legs over either side of Mewtwo's hips.

Mewtwo felt his weight settle, then stood up fully. "Mention anything about this to anyone and I will slay you in your sleep."

"Your secret is safe with – whoa!" Bill held on for dear life as the Pokémon suddenly launched up the trail. Instead of alternating strides, Mewtwo hopped, his powerful thighs and feet propelling forward. It was like flying, sometimes on level with the ground, other times it seemed as if he could touch the very tree-tops. "Two...this is so fun! When did you learn this?"

"I'm a Pokemon, you don't think that I know my own skills?" He settled into a steady hopping sprint. "You didn't think I spent all day out there staring at the ocean did you? I was bored, so I ran."

"I wonder how fast we're going." Bill wrapped his arms around Two's huge shoulders. The miles seemed to melt away, and even though Bill was feeling a bit fatigued, Mewtwo was still keeping a steady pace. "This is even better than a motorcycle!"

"Just keep still, alright?" Mewtwo looked over his shoulder and saw the train coming up behind them. "We're not going to make it." He poured on the speed. Bill held tighter and laid his head down on Mewtwo's back.

"I can't believe this. He's outdistancing the train…" Bill mumbled and watched the train slowly drop off. "Even with me on his back…"

"Oww!"

"What? Pulled a muscle?"

"No, almost tripped over a pine cone." Mewtwo could feel the human's sudden fear. He supposed it would be frightening to think about falling off at this pace. Mewtwo's feet found a trail as the train rounded a bend in the tracks. "We're not going to make it, I need to…"

"Twooooooooo!" Bill screamed as the Pokemon proceeded to jump off a cliff and go sliding down a steep rocky incline. "What are you doing?"

"Getting us to the station on time!" Mewtwo answered, his breaths even and smooth.

Bill felt himself slide off the huge back. "Two! I'm slipping!"

Mewtwo hit the sandy beach and skidded to a halt, Bill slid off at the last moment and went rolling a few feet. He knelt again. "Now get back on,"

Bill very reluctantly climbed on the gray/purple back again. The train was beginning to slow for its final leg into the station. Mewtwo didn't even wait for Bill to have a grip before he launched over the sand.

They reached the train station in more or less one piece, and not a moment later the train pulled in behind them, hissing steam and blowing its whistle. Bill was frozen to Mewtwo's back and didn't get off until the Pokémon told him to. "Next time, don't hold on so tightly. Makes it hard to breathe."

* * *

"He frightens me Joy," Bill spoke into his cell phone. "This is definitely no normal Pokémon. He's extremely intelligent and powerful. Very, very powerful. And fast. Did I mention fast?"

"Calm down Bill, where is he now?" she said at the other end. Bill had called her up in a panic a few moments before on the train. He sounded really scared, yet excited at the same time. Despite having pockets full of sand, the ride had been exhilarating.

"He's sleeping beside me. That run I told you about a moment ago must have tired him out a little."

"If worst comes to worst, you can always use the Master Ball." Joy sang.

"But I don't want to lose his trust. I've worked so hard to gain it." Bill looked up at Mewtwo's sleeping face. "I wonder what kind of powers he has – or had. If he's this powerful and intelligent…Arceus, I hate to think about what would happen if he did have all his powers back. I've been trying to access any information on him, but I can't find any or I'm locked out."

"I think I can help with that. Lately I've been getting some weird injuries here, so I hired a hacker to get into Team Rocket's computer systems."

"How did you suspect Team Rocket?"

"Trainers never shut up."

"Oh." Bill smiled.

"Anyway, I found this information on Mewtwo. I hope it helps."

"Are you sending it to me, then?"

"Yes, it should be in your e-mail box…now."

"Thank you, Joy." Bill hung up then pulled out his laptop and used the line the train provided. He downloaded the files then sat back. "Oh…my..."

* * *

"Your performance wasn't up to par today." Giovanni's shape appeared on the balcony overlooking a darkened laboratory.

_ You said we were partners. _

"And you believed me? No, Mewtwo." He looked down at the Pokémon who was tugging at the restraints as usual. "You are a toy like all the rest." Giovanni pushed a button and the balcony gently glided down to Mewtwo's level.

_ I am not a toy. _

Giovanni walked forward, grinned slyly, then suddenly reached out and grabbed the bottom of Mewtwos restraining helmet. He yanked it closer, his breath fogging up the view window. "Look! I made you!" He shook the helmet harshly. "I can unmake you! You belong to me!"

_ I was never your toy._ Mewtwo looked at Giovanni with cold eyes. _I will not obey you any longer._

Giovanni suddenly wrapped his hand around Mewtwo's neck. The Pokémon couldn't fight back; the armor was draining any power he had left after the day's battles. "Feel this, Mewtwo? This is what it's like to be helpless. Get used to it. Because that's what you are without me. Helpless and weak."

Consciousness was slipping away. It was almost bliss, no pain, no hate. It was like…

"You are nothing, become accustomed to it," Giovanni chanted. His eyes red and his breath reeking of expensive spirits. He was in fine form tonight.

_ Never._

Giovanni pushed Mewtwo away. "You still defy me?" He went back to the elevator and pushed a button on the back wall. "Very well then, I still have ways to break you. You are not immune to everything."

A buzzing started in his feet and worked its way up his body. Mewtwo braced himself against the electric shock he knew was coming. That was the way these fights always ended.

* * *

"AAAHHHHHHH!" Mewtwo stood up and almost fell over the seat in front of him. Bill yanked his laptop up before it could plummet to certain doom.

"What happened? Are you alright?" Bill cradled his laptop, unsure if Mewtwo had gotten a look at the file he was reading.

_ Oh my head… _

"What's wrong? Bad dream?" Bill closed the laptop and set it aside.

Mewtwo sat down, and took his hand away from his head. The little white Pikachu had calmed down, and his head had now settled into the familiar red/purple throb. He turned toward Bill. The human's eyes were wide with shock and fear. _He fears me even though… _Mewtwo saw that the back pack was open and the Master Ball peeked through. _Even though I've been living with him for the past month he would think nothing of putting me inside that thing? I have done nothing to- _

"I'm sorry." Bill looked away and took the Master Ball out of the backpack. "I shouldn't have even brought the thing. Here." He gave the blue and white ball to Mewtwo.

_ What? _

"You've trusted me with your life, I can at least trust you not to take mine." Bill almost snickered at the expression of confusion on the usually stern face. The heavy eyebrows had all but disappeared leaving wide purple eyes. "I'm sorry."

Mewtwo looked down as the huge heavy ball landed in his hand. The "M" stenciled on the ball didn't seem as scary anymore. He blinked and gave the ball back to Bill. "I can trust you a little longer."

Bill put the ball away, the expression on his face matching Mewtwo's

_ Great, now I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. _Mewtwo turned his head to look out of the window.

Bill searched for something to say, not wanting to ruin the moment. Finally he asked, "What was the dream about?"

"Bad memories." Mewtwo answered curtly.

"Want to share?"

"No."

Bill once again found himself at a loss for words. He wanted to learn more about Mewtwo, but also knew that the Pokémon's mind was a minefield of hidden dangers and memories. "If only I..."

"What are you babbling about now human?"

"Just wondering what I'm going to do with you."

* * *

"This won't hurt him right?" Bill leaned asked Nurse Joy.

"Oh no, these particular scans are just about painless." She escorted Bill to a tiny room. Through a huge piece of plate glass they could see Mewtwo laying awkwardly on a small white table.

"He doesn't look too comfortable."

"I'm not." Mewtwo's voice drifted over the intercom. "You try laying on your back when you have a tail as big as mine."

"Well you know what they say about tails, Mr. Two," Joy answered casually. Mewtwo half sat up and almost fell off the table. She would pick this time to get a sense of humor. That was a good one though. "This will only take a minute," Joy said over the intercom. She was smiling.

"You must be one of the oddballs in your family," Bill spoke up.

"Naw, I just like to make people laugh. It makes their experiences here much better." She smiled again until Mewtwo laid back down. She could understand how Bill would be a little frightened of him. She would never have a six-foot-seven creature living in her home that refused to get into a Poké Ball and was perfectly capable of doing harm. There had to be a lot of trust between them.

Mewtwo felt his head touch the small pillow on the table. His eyes followed a small revolving camera the seemed to map out the path it was going to take around his head.

"If you don't stay still, I can't get a good picture."

_ So easy for her to say._ Mewtwo grabbed the sides of the table and held his breath. _I'm going to slide off this thing._

"Stay still Two," Bill added on the intercom. "All we're getting is fuzzy images."

Mewtwo somehow managed to stay still for the few minutes required, then gratefully slid off the table. He looked up through the glass at the booth that Nurse Joy and Bill were inside of, to find shocked expressions on each face. Nurse Joy covered her mouth with one little hand. _Is it that bad?_

"What does that mean?" Bill asked softly.

"He is really incredible. Even though much is still missing his brain is actually regenerating. But very slowly. It might be years before he regains his powers, not including retraining."

Mewtwo walked into the booth and looked at the monitor. He remembered reading about this particular system and felt sure he knew how to read the data. _That much of my brain is missing? That's almost a third!_ He suddenly felt weak. _I'll never recover from that in time… _

"Mewtwo." Nurse Joy turned around. "When you try to use your powers, what happens?"

"Nothing."

"I mean is there any pain." She ignored his comment.

"It feels like some one got a Pikachu to declare war on my head, and after that goes away, an intense dull throb sets in."

"Hmmmmm…" She started walking out of the room. Bill and Mewtwo followed. "It's known that Psychic Pokémon have higher brain activity than normal types. And that causes a lot of electric current inside the brain. Every time you use your powers, it might be creating energy that has nowhere to channel to, and may destroy more of what still exists or has healed." She stopped behind a counter.

"I never would have thought of that. You've been a wonderful help, Joy," Bill said, looking at the rows and rows of different bottles displayed on a shelf. Mewtwo looked around a comfortable sitting room. On a table was a mug of coffee.

"I'm going to write a prescription to help with the pain, but all I can suggest right now until I analyze the data is plenty of R &R. And no using your powers under any circumstances. No battling, nothing." She started pulling down various jars and smaller bags.

Mewtwo peeked around a corner and smirked. One of the holes he had kicked in the wall last time he was here had been crudely plastered over. He walked a little up the hall and peeked into the waiting room, then froze. _Arceus!...It's that kid…oh what's his name?_ His question was answered for him by a red-haired girl.

"Ash! I told you not to wait so long to take your Pokémon in!" She hit him on the shoulder.

"Sorry Misty, I.." He turned and looked directly at Mewtwo.

_ I don't have the power right now to re-erase those memories._ Mewtwo just couldn't stop staring at him. That brat had been present through some of the most trying times in Mewtwo's life. Memories of the kid getting in the crossfire of the battle between himself and Mew still haunted his dreams. So far he had wiped the kid's mind a couple of times, and hoped he would never have to try for a third.

"That Pokémon…"

"What Pokémon, Ash?" Misty followed his gaze. "What is that thing?" She stepped forward. "He seems familiar somehow."

"I…" Ash suddenly held his head.

"Ash? What's wrong?" She shook his shoulder. "Did you have an idea or something?"

"No…New Island…" He looked up his eyes alive with sudden remembrance. "Mewtwo!" Ash said, pointing an almost accusatory finger at the hall.

"Mewtwo?" Misty looked up, then brought a hand to her own head. "Mewtwo…Yes, I remember now."

"Two." It was Bill's voice. "Two, where did you go?"

"Misty, stay back, I'll protect you." Ash raised a hand. His mind was still filtering through the bad encounters he had had with Mewtwo and hadn't quite gotten to the good ones yet.

"Ash, don't be stupid!" Misty made him put his arm down. "Now put that Poké Ball away and treat our Pokémon! He wouldn't be here without a reason!"

"Probably to kidnap Nurse Joy again!" Ash dug a ball out of his pocket. "Bulbasaur! I choose you!"

_ Now would be a good time to run._ Mewtwo ducked back from the corner. And as much as he hated to do it, he called out to the one person he knew could help him. "Bill!"

"Mewtwo, where did you go?" He turned around and saw Mewtwo bouncing up the hall toward him at a full run.

Joy peeked around the corner along with Bill. "Ah! Stop him! That's how he tore the place up last time!" Joy put down the few bags she had in her arms, and searched for a medi-ball to use.

"Bulbasaur!" The little blue Pokémon rounded the corner closely followed by Ash who was dragging Misty. Misty unleashed a stream of expletives aimed at Ash and his lack of functioning brain power.

"Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!" Ash shouted.

"Two!" Bill watched the vines wrap around Mewtwo's ankles and trip him. Mewtwo hit the floor with a heavy smack, stunned and embarrassed that he was taken down by such a juvenile attack. With his face reddening through his fur, Mewtwo pulled himself to his feet and turned to face his attacker.

"ASH KETCHUM!" Nurse Joy roared, scrambling to cover the distance.

"He's trying to kidnap you, Joy!" Ash stood ready with another Poké Ball.

Bill noted the Bulbasaur was gearing up for another attack. "Mewtwo! In this case you have every right to defend yourself!"

Mewtwo glared at the little Pokémon, his mind drawing a blank as to what he should do. In the past he could access a myriad of techniques and tactics, but all of them would be useless now. What would Sabrina have asked him to do? In a moment he had it.

"Bulba!"

"Bulba this." Mewtwo spun on the ball of his foot and landed a Tail Whip. Although with the amount of weight and force, it was more like a Tail Slam. Bulbasaur lifted off the ground and went flying down the hall, slamming into Ash and Misty and knocking them over.

"Oh, Bulbasaur." Ash gently picked Bulbasaur up. "You…you bully!" He jumped up and rushed at Mewtwo.

"BOY!" Bill reached a hand out and caught Ash before Mewtwo could. "Either you have a death wish or you are just plain stupid!" Joy quickly placed herself between the two Pokémon. Her Chansey ran to her side, and Mewtwo had to give credit where credit was due. The pink Pokémon looked like it was about to tear someone up.

"He's a little of both." Misty came forward and slapped him. "You moron! I told you that he wouldn't be here unless there was a reason!" She picked up Bulbasaur. "Now apologize to Mewtwo!"

Mewtwo glared at the young trainer.

"Mewtwo, are you alright?" Nurse Joy relaxed a little as a few more Chanseys arrived and began to calm both the fighters and the spectators of the little scuffle.

"Fine." He continued to glare.

"Two, calm down." Bill pushed Ash away. "Little bugger doesn't know what he did."

"But I do," Mewtwo hissed.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Then let it go."

Ash put Bulbasaur back in the ball. "What is going on?"

"Ash, go sit down, I'll talk to you in a minute," Joy said, regaining her composure. "Bill, see if Mewtwo is really okay, he fell pretty hard." Mewtwo felt that was the biggest blow to his pride ever since this whole mess started. It was one thing to be on the losing end of a gun fight, quite another to get tripped up by an overgrown cabbage.

"I believe he's fine." Bill watched Nurse Joy escort Ash to her office by the ear. Misty was still in the hall, looking anxious and apologetic.

"Um...Mewtwo…" She slowly came forward. "I would like to apologize for Ash. I guess when he got fried by you last time it messed a few things up in his head that were bad enough as is."

"Fried? Last time?" Bill asked, this was news to him. Joy's report had said nothing about previous history between the Pokémon and trainers.

"Long story." Mewtwo folded his arms defensively. "I tried to take over the world once."

"Yeah, in a nutshell, but you had your reasons then! And you're not the same now." Misty thankfully was a lot faster on the uptake than her traveling companion. Mewtwo turned around and faced Bill, unsure of how his new friend would take this news. Misty looked up at Mewtwo again and gasped when she saw a long jagged white scar going down the back of his head. "What happened?" She reached up and touched it. Mewtwo snapped around and grabbed her wrist without thinking. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend."

"Two." Bill put a hand on Mewtwo's shoulder. "Let her go. She doesn't know."

"Know what?" Misty held her wrist after Mewtwo let go.

Mewtwo struggled with his thoughts, pondering if he should tell Misty what had happened, or to just leave her to her own conclusions. If Mew had been here, the pink brat would have been a corner with a bucket of popcorn and indulging in the schadenfreude of the whole event. "Some other time," he answered finally. He could see Misty making the connection that he was speaking with a normal voice now.

Turning away, Mewtwo watched Bill gather the things Nurse Joy had set out for them. _Why did I listen to him? Why did I let go? Why did I call to him when the other brat attacked me with that Bulbasaur? Why?_ For a moment the constant headache he had endured since the injury faded and a moment of clarity washed over him. _Because I trust him. Just as she trusted me enough to know that I wouldn't take her life just now. Is that what trust is? What are all these things? Why? _

Nurse Joy came back into the room and clapped her hands together. "Misty, you go and comfort Ash, I did a good reaming on him, mainly about no battling inside Poké-Centers. I trust you'll enforce it."

"Yes ma'am." Misty saluted and took one last look up at Mewtwo, then ran up the hallway. "Ash! Ash!" She found him sitting on one of the benches in the waiting room. "Hey!"

"Man, why doesn't she know I was only trying to save her life?"

"I'd think you'd know not to battle in Poké-Centers."

"But when Team Rocket…"

"Mewtwo is not Team Rocket." Misty sat down next to him. "Besides, I don't think that was his intention. I think he's a patient."

"What makes you say that?" Ash asked, clueless as always.

"I saw this scar on his head, and when Bulbasaur attacked him, didn't you find it a little strange that he ran up the hall? Then didn't use a psychic attack?"

"Yeah it was kinda odd…" Ash said thoughtfully. Then the pieces began to fall into place. "Awww! Now I feel horrible! I attacked a sick Pokémon!"

"Took you long enough," Misty mumbled.

"I'm going back there to apologize!" Ash stood up with a determined gleam in his eye.

"No, Ash!" Misty grabbed his shirt and pulled him down. "If you go back there, it will only make things worse." She forced him to sit down. "Just wait until he's done."

"Alright."

Safely back in the examination room, Joy went over the findings of the test. "You may not realize it Mewtwo, but you are very important. I know you hate being a guinea pig but we need to study you, both to help you and other Pokémon. I have you scheduled for an appointment in a month, but as a check-up and the first in a series of tests." She took the bottles and bags from Bill.

Mewtwo lowered his head. "I understand."

"That's good, you _can_ be cooperative," she smiled.

"I'll do my best to make sure he doesn't do any more damage." Bill watched Joy fill the bags, then reached up and gave him a jar of small brown pellets. "What's that?"

"I had Pokémon Breeder Brock from Pewter City make these specially for Mewtwo. He can continue his normal diet – easy on the coffee – but he should have some of these with every meal as well. Let me know how they work out."

"I will."

Mewtwo watched them pass jars and bags back and forth and discuss his dietary habits as if he wasn't even in the room.

"Right then, let's go!" Bill took the jar and a bag. "These are for the pain right?" He held up the baggie.

"Yep."

Mewtwo was hoping Bill would get a move on before Joy could prescribe anything else. They traveled the short hall and into the waiting room, and Mewtwo hesitated when he saw that Ash and Misty were still seated there.

"Um, Mewtwo." Ash stood up and took off his hat. "I'm sorry I attacked you. I didn't know you were hurt. I hope you'll be okay."

Mewtwo's jaw dropped. Of all the possible outcomes he had already gone through in his head, this had been the most unlikely one. _Kid just hit the top of my weirdo meter._ Mewtwo settled for reaching out and roughing up Ash's hair. Actually fixed it a bit in the process. "Just look before you leap."

Ash smiled and tugged his hat back on. "Hope to see you again soon!"

Bill snagged Mewtwo's arm when they were outside. "You are really a card! Didn't you say you hated that kid?"

"Still do."

"Then why didn't you just backhand him?"

Once again Mewtwo found himself struggling for an answer. "Because he is one of the few people that know where I have been, and has shared in some of those trials. I couldn't do it with a clear heart. Just the same as you could never hit me or put me in a ball without a little guilt."

"Observant, aren't you." Bill took out the jar with the pellets. "Joy said Sabrina was at Mercy Hospital, room 423. Do you want to try any of these?"

"How about you eat them?"

"I'll do it if you will. We both eat one together." Bill opened the jar and took two out. "Here." He gave one to Mewtwo. "One, two, three." They both popped them in their mouth like it was some new variety of pill, crunched once, then stopped. "Oh...my...these are terrible." They both swallowed with effort. Bill put the jar away and smiled weakly. "What do you say we get something to eat before we go and see Sabrina?"

Vindicated, Mewtwo smirked. "I'm for it."

* * *

"Thank heavens that taste is finally out of my mouth!" Bill said around a mouthful of cheeseburger. "I can't believe you ate seven garden salads."

"I'm still hungry."

"You can put away some food," Bill observed. "It's good we found a place that's Pokémon friendly." He went to take a sip of soda only to find it empty. "Do you like your slushie?"

"It has a very interesting flavor, it's funny."

"Next time we won't get blue raspberry then."

"Oh no, I like it." Mewtwo looked up at the jar of pellets that Bill had set on the table. "If they help, only if they help." He picked a few from the jar, popped them in his mouth like before, then gulped them down with his slushie. "Those things are horrible." Bill giggled when Mewtwo suddenly held his head. "Great, now the pain is right behind my eyeballs…"

"I don't think that's one of your normal aches," Bill chuckled. "Humans call that an ice cream headache. It'll subside."

"No more slushies."

"You don't have to take slushies off the menu, just drink them slower." He watched as Mewtwo managed a half smile, and took another sip. "Excited to see Sabrina?" The Pokémon grew suddenly cold and withdrawn. "I have only met her once, but I share your concern for her." Bill tried to read deeper into Mewtwo's expression. There was a horrible sadness in his eyes. It hurt to look for long.

"The sooner I can see her, the sooner I can help her," Mewtwo said after a long silence.

* * *

"Sorry sir. No Pokémon allowed."

"But-"

"The rules stand. No Pokémon," the hospital security guard restated.

"Come on Two." Bill led Mewtwo outside. "We'll find some other way in." He started examining the fire escape. Mewtwo grabbed a strap on his backpack and pulled him closer. "What?"

Mewtwo unzipped it and took out the Master Ball. "If they ask about me, give them one of the extra Poké Balls you have in there."

"They'll know if there's a Pokémon in it or not."

"_A_ Pokémon, not which."

"But I don't have any."

"No problem." Mewtwo picked a ball out and walked over to the nearest alley. Bill watched silently as Mewtwo searched the trash cans and found a Rattata. He used his new found tail-slam attack and smacked the smaller Pokémon.

Bill winced, wondering if Two would really kill the smaller Pokémon outright. But to his credit, the Rattata was only stunned. Mewtwo threw the ball and captured the little rodent.

"Nicely done."

"Thanks." He tossed the ball to Bill.

"What's wrong, your tail is bleeding."

"Little brat bit me when I hit him." He took the Master Ball back from Bill, then closed his eyes and breathed deeply before pushing the button. Bill watched as Mewtwo was drawn inside then caught the ball before it hit the ground. He held both balls in his hand and shrugged. "Well, that's one way to do it."

* * *

"Where's your Pokémon?" the security guard asked when Bill entered the hospital again.

"I put him away." Bill took out the red and white ball.

"I need to hold onto it. You may pick him up when you leave."

Bill gave the man the Poké Ball, signed a drop-off form and headed for an elevator. "Room 423…We're almost there, Two." The elevator stopped on the forth floor and Bill stepped out. He searched the long white halls for her room and finally came to a closed door. "Here we are." He slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside, the room was dark, a vague shape could be made out on the bed. Bill fumbled around on the wall for a light switch and then gasped.

A woman with beautiful soft features lay on the bed. Her green hair was spread around her in a fan and her face wore the soft expression of sleep. Bill almost forgot why he had come. This gorgeous woman had been kept in this kind of suspended animation for a month? He gently and slowly closed the door behind him and approached her bedside. He wanted to reach out and touch her, assure himself that she was real. Bill finally shook off the spell and took out the Master Ball. He freed Mewtwo as quietly as he could. "Two, she's gorgeous,"

"I hope I'm not too late." Mewtwo leaned over the bed. "Sabrina?" He laid a hand on her forehead.

"What are you doing?" Bill asked as Mewtwo's eyes began to take on an inner luminescence.

"Helping." Mewtwo placed a finger over her temples, and the other in the middle of her head. "We promised."

"What are you doing?" Bill tried to pull Mewtwo's hand away. "Don't you remember what Nurse Joy said?"

"Yes, but I made this promise to Sabrina first."

"I won't let you injure yourself any more!" Bill picked up the Master Ball, even though he was unsure if he would really use it.

"NO!" Mewtwo kicked out and landed the hit on Bill's chest. Bill stumbled backward and hit the wall, sliding down to the floor. The Master Ball rolled under the bed. "You dare to threaten me?"

"I'm only trying to..."

"And so am I." Mewtwo looked back at Sabrina. _My best friend. We promised that we would help each other any way we could. You almost gave your life for me, now I do the same for you. _He breathed a single heartfelt word. "Recover."

Bill watched Mewtwo's face twist in concentration. The kick had knocked all the air out of him, and took away his will to fight. Mewtwo's Pikachu headache had now graduated to a Gyarados Hyper Beaming every available part of his brain. Bill could see blue sparks of electricity jumping between Mewtwo's ears and crackling between his gritted teeth.

"Mewtwo, stop!" Bill forced himself to stand when Sabrina's body jumped, then started glowing the calm blue aura all Psychic Pokémon gave off. The light was traveling from her body and engulfing the room. "Two?" He saw a small trickle of blood start from the Pokemon's nose and drip onto the white sheets.

Sabrina's eyes opened as the light faded. For a moment she lay still, breathing deeply, getting to know her body again and remembering how she ended up there. Dreamlike, she turned her head to the side and saw Mewtwo, leaning on the side of the bed. "Two, you...where?" Her voice was weak from disuse.

"Sabrina," he gasped, then lost his grip and fell to the floor.

"Two!" She sat up suddenly and leaned over the side of the bed. "Mewtwo?"

"Two." Bill rubbed his still-aching chest. "You idiot. I tried to.."

"Watch who you call an idiot," Sabrina snarled as she sat up and swung her legs off the bed.

"Well, for a person who just came out of a coma, you seem to be doing fine." Bill stumbled over to Mewtwo, but not missing the chance to eye up what the hospital gown failed to cover before offering his jacket to warm her.

"For someone who just took a kick in the chest equivalent to getting hit by a car, I say you're doing fine as well." Sabrina knelt next to Mewtwo, pulling the coat around her shoulders. "Come on, wake up, don't leave me now after all we've come through."

"I'm not going to die." Mewtwo moaned. "If you two could get me to a Center, it'd be very much appreciated."

* * *

"Here you go Ash." Nurse Joy handed over Ash's Pokémon. "I hope you learned your lesson."

"I'm really sorry about earlier." Ash accepted his Poké Balls. "And any trouble I've caused."

"Sixteen years old, and you still act like you're ten, Ash."

Ash blushed sheepishly. "Let's go, Misty."

Misty picked up her backpack. "Alright, but I get to chose the restaurant this time."

"Alright!" Ash helped Pikachu up onto his shoulder.

Their good spirits faltered as a huge ambulance pulled up outside. "What's that?"

Joy peeked over the counter, then growled as Bill hopped out of the back of the truck. "Don't tell me…" She sounded more angry than concerned.

"What? What's going on?" Misty peeked out the door and saw Sabrina jump out of the back of the truck followed by a long stretcher. "Huh?"

"Is that…" Ash stood next to her.

The Center was suddenly alive as various emergency personnel and Pokemon rushed to handle this new development. Mewtwo was wheeled in on the stretcher and taken to the back room. Ash and Misty stood silent while watching all the comings and goings. Sabrina was still dressed in her hospital gown and Bill's coat when she ran into the back room, while Officer Jenny talked to Bill who had been put in handcuffs.

"Ash, I think we should stay," Misty said, slipping her backpack off again.

"Yeah, Joy might need some help."

* * *

Misty carefully walked into the room Mewtwo was being kept in. Nurse Joy had gratefully accepted their help with the other Pokemon while she handled Mewtwo. That had been mid-afternoon, it was now late in the night. Mewtwo was back in the tank, his vital signs constantly monitored. "Wow.."

"Astounding isn't he?"

Misty spun at the voice to find Sabrina sitting in a corner or the room. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you."

"You weren't supposed to." Sabrina stood up. She was wearing a dress Joy had let her borrow. "They arrested Bill. Despite his injuries. It's a national crime to bring Pokémon into a hospital. I'm going there tomorrow to see if I can spring him. It's the least I can do after he's taken care of Two all these months." She walked over to the tank, and regarded its contents with a worried expression. "He's in so much pain."

"I've never really seen such a Pokémon before. I don't understand him like you do, but he-"

"He kinda tugs at your heart?"

"Yeah…" Misty laid a hand on the tank. "It's hard to describe, but..."

"When I first saw him, I was amazed that such a source of power could be contained in such a frail body. He was made by humans, and that in itself is frightening. This kind of science will either lead to a more prosperous era for humanity, or mark its decline." She rested her hand on the glass and frowned, concern causing her brow to furrow. "Two has a long road ahead of him."

"You must really care about him."

"Yes, for now and forever." Sabrina half-smiled. "We promised."

* * *

_**Authors note:** A very big THANK YOU to StarWriterWG, who bravely beta read and edited this chapter. Words cannot express how grateful I am!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Raspberry Slushies

Sabrina yawned as she walked up the long white hallway in the rear of the Poké Center. Misty had finally convinced her to leave Mewtwo's side and bail Bill out. Sabrina had disliked the idea, but it was the least she could do for a man who had taken care of her best friend for the past few months, and had put his own good name on the line to reunite them. Nurse Joy had stabilized Mewtwo's condition, and Sabrina wanted to get back soon in case he woke up. On her way toward the front door Nurse Joy waved her over.

"I thought you would never come out of there." Joy smiles as she held out a package. "A Haunter showed up this morning with this, I thought it was odd."

"A Haunter? Is he still here?" Sabrina looked around.

"Haunt!" The Haunter in question pulled itself from a nearby wall and flew toward Sabrina.

Sabrina held her arms out and hugged the Pokemon, or whatever counted as a hug with a ghost. "I missed you!" Her sour mood began to lift already. Haunter's familiar presence was setting her more at ease, lifting a tenseness she didn't know had set in.

"Haunt haunt!"

"And you brought my clothes? Thank you!" She accepted the package from Nurse Joy and ripped open the paper. One of her favorite dresses unfolded and a Poké Ball that had been tucked into the folds fell out and rolled across the floor. With another cry of recognition, Sabrina picked it up and activated it. Kadabra appeared on the floor, turned and hugged Sabrina's leg. "Kadabra! Thanks for bringing him, Haunter."

"You can go change in the room back there." Nurse Joy leaned over the counter, obviously touched by this happy reunion. "Although you do look quite cute in the nurse's uniform."

"Why do you have an extra one around anyway?" Sabrina pulled out a pair of her boots and a small bag of other necessities from the package, making sure to shake those out in case Haunter had included any other surprises.

"It's good to keep a spare in case we get any others in as bad of condition as Two that night." Joy shrugged. "As much as we try to keep them healthy, sometimes Pokémon don't arrive in the best of shape, and no one wants to see a medical professional with stains on their uniform."

"Oh yeah, I didn't think about that." Sabrina pulled Kadabra off her leg and went into a back room. "Be out in a minute, hold on. Haunter, stay."

Haunter crossed his "arms" and stuck his tongue out, a little put out at being denied a show. Joy went about her daily duties until Sabrina stepped out, dressed in her usual outfit, a red long-sleeved shirt and miniskirt with knee-high black leather boots. "I must admit that you do look best in your own clothes," Joy commented when Sabrina returned the uniform neatly folded.

"Thanks." Sabrina checked one long sleeve, then pulled the skirt down a bit. "The police station is a few blocks down, right?"

"Yes." Joy picked up the phone. "I'll call ahead and tell Jenny you're coming."

"Please keep an eye on Two." Sabrina held out two Poké Balls, summoning both Haunter and Kadabra back into them, then placed them in her pocket.

"Oh I will, you have nothing to worry about."

* * *

Jenny looked up from the phone and watched Sabrina walk through the door. "I'll talk to you later, Joy, Sabrina's here." She hung up the phone gently. "I know who you're here for, so I'll go get him. After that I need to talk to both of you."

"Why did you keep Bill all night?" Sabrina never had much dealings with the police, and being in a station even when she wasn't in trouble still made her nervous.

"I'll explain that in a minute." Jenny went into the back and came back with Bill in tow. He looked like he hadn't slept all night. His green hair was a mess and his clothes were wrinkled. "Okay, now both of you in my office." She gestured toward a short hallway with several rooms leading from it.

"Are you okay?" Sabrina whispered, suddenly feeling more concerned.

"I'm fine. How's Mewtwo? Is he alright?" Bill asked, his voice sounded strained.

"He hasn't woken up yet, but yeah, he's fine."

"Good," Bill sighed. "I've been awake all night worried about him." They followed Jenny into her office, and the officer shut the door behind them, and took a seat behind a desk.

"Now both of you should know by now that taking a Pokémon into a hospital is a serious crime. However, given the circumstances, I'm letting you go with a slap on the wrist. I know it won't happen again, and since both of you are dedicated Pokémon experts, I can trust that you'll take this as a lesson." Jenny began to sort through a pile of papers. "Just fill these out, and you can go."

Bill looked at the stack of papers that seemed to be enough to create a phone book. "Maybe I should have tried to get some sleep after all."

* * *

"Where are we going? I thought we were heading to the Center?"

"We will in a minute." Sabrina led the way across the street and toward a diner. "I haven't had anything except Jell-O for the past few months. I am starving. Besides, we need to talk."

"What about Two? I want to make sure he's alright," Bill insisted, though he had to admit to himself that he was hungry as well.

"Be patient. How did you two ever get along?" Sabrina chuckled.

Bill fell behind her and watched her graceful form jog up the sidewalk. "How am I ever going to maintain a friendship with Two when he has such a strong woman with him?" he mumbled to himself.

Sabrina turned and put her hands on her hips. "Are you coming or not?"

Bill only smiled and followed, then opened the door for her. Sabrina blinked at the unexpected display of chivalry. Maybe she was being a little hard on him. After all, this guy hadn't gotten any sleep last night, and all that worry must have done something to him.

They took a seat at a booth. Bill immediately ordered coffee along with Sabrina. "Sorry I've been a drag. I've been very worried about Two."

"You're not alone." Sabrina sighed. "I've known Two for about a year now. He lives with me. It took a long time to earn his trust, but it feels like we've always known each other." Sabrina sipped her coffee when it arrived. "Things have been hard for me lately. I've only been really awake for one day and already I have so much work to catch up on."

Bill dumped some sugar and cream in his coffee. "How did you know Two had kicked me in the hospital? You were out cold."

"My body was out, but my mind was aware. Non-psychics often think it takes a lot of power to maintain awareness, but it's easy if you just relax and let it come to you. I sensed you the moment you walked in the door, and when Two attacked you…how are your ribs, by the way?"

"I'll survive. It's not the first time he's hit me."

"When did he hit you before?" She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes.

"It was for stupid things. Frankly I can understand why. Even though he tries his best, he's still very scared and alone. I don't know what to do, so I just roll with it and try to alleviate his fears."

"He's never been outright violent with me, but I've never put it past him. He's been on his own for so long and has a lot to learn about basic social skills." Sabrina found herself staring at Bill. _You know, this poor guy has given up the past few months of his life just for Two, he really loves Pok__é__mon. Not to mention __he__ has some of the nicest hair I've ever seen…_ Bill glanced up at her, then smiled shyly. She averted her gaze quickly. _That was unexpected…I better not start to get attached.._

Bill took a sip of his coffee. "Enough about Two, tell me about you."

At first Sabrina didn't know what to say. She had never been the type to just open up to someone else. It was always easier to defer to another topic, find safer mutual ground before letting her defenses down. That had been one reason why she and Two had clicked as well as they had. As a pair of psychics, they performed their preliminary scans of each other, knew automatically where the other's trouble zones were and went right for the middle ground together all in a matter of moments. Going through this tedious exercise of trial and error with this man was going to be like explaining to a toddler how to navigate a dark room blindfolded. No wonder she didn't have much human contact anymore.

The coffee mug was warm in her hands, and it would still be a moment before their food arrived. Her companion's smile was earnest but not critical. "Well, I've had psychic powers ever since I was a little girl, and despite all the hell I put them through, I had the most loving parents anyone could ask for." She sipped her coffee, and before she set her mug back down, it was as if some inner floodgate had been opened. Her troubles interacting with other humans, most Pokémon even, save for the psychic types. How her inability to communicate lead her to be lonely and bitter, even to the point of learning how to trap someone's very soul inside a handmade doll just for the sake of having company that wouldn't run away. She told him of Ash, and Haunter. And of how she spent wonderful years as both a gym leader and daughter of grateful parents, only to lose both of them to a plane crash.

After this event she temporarily closed her Gym, and went on a journey of self-discovery, meeting people and studying Pokémon she had only read about. It was in the deepest jungles to the south that she had first encountered Mewtwo. It had taken both of them some time to warm up to the other, but they found shared concerns in the lack of Pokémon the world over. Powerful Pokémon were in hiding, and even weather patterns were getting disrupted from the lack of legendaries that helped to influence them. So together Sabrina and Mewtwo had made a pact to get to the bottom of it.  
"Sounds like you and Two had your work cut out for you," Bill said when Sabrina had paused to take a bite.

"It was a time when I thought I might revert back to how I used to be. I was so focused on my training that I had become totally numb to everything. I loved my parents, and it hurt when they died. Then I met Two. We faced our problems together, and we've been together ever since – and don't think any sick stuff either." Sabrina pointed a fork at Bill.

"I wasn't. You two are as close as a Master and Pokemon are supposed to be." Bill absently finished off the rest of his lunch, then put his hand down on the table.

"Um...Bill..."

"Yes?"

"You're holding my hand."

Bill looked down. "Oh, sorry." He blushed and yanked it back.

Sabrina smiled, then covered his hand with her own. "I didn't say I minded."

* * *

Sabrina sighed, then stood up and stretched. After a wonderful lunch, they had returned to the Pokemon Center, full of new questions and conversation from the diner. That had been a few hours ago. Joy had her duties, and Bill was currently leaning against Mewtwo's tank, falling asleep, but pulling himself out of it every time he drifted off. "Hey, Bill."

"Yes?" He looked at her, his eyes bloodshot and strained.

"I'm going to go get some coffee, want some?"

"Please." He watched her leave the room, and then put his head back on the cold surface of the tank. _She's beautiful. I hope that once Two wakes up we can still be friends. I don't want to lose either one of them. After all this time of being alone, I don't want to leave, I don't want to go back to the lighthouse by myself. I know how Two feels. Being alone with no one to talk to or understand you. Ever since I was a boy. So what__ i__f I thought Pok__é__mon were more interesting than my schoolwork? I am now one of the most respected names in the field. But it's a lonely field._

In the nurse's break room, Sabrina poured her coffee, then mixed the sugar and creamer. _Face it Sabrina, you like him._ She groaned inwardly, then started on Bill's cup. "Okay, yeah, sure, I like him, but it's not going anywhere. He's so far ahead of me in everything. Why would he want to even have the friendship of a lowly Gym leader?" Sabrina rubbed her temples. "Must be something about Pokémon centers, they always make me start talking to myself."

"Haunt haunt…" Haunter elbowed her side, then gave her one of his all-knowing perverted grins.

"Now don't you get started," She picked up the mugs, then carried them into the room. Bill was asleep at the tank. "Oh man..." Sabrina put the mugs down, then folded her arms and watched. "He's so cute when he's asleep."

"Haunt." Haunter carried in a blanket and set it down on the side table.

"Thanks." Sabrina picked it up then draped it around Bill's shoulders. "Now all I need is Two."

* * *

Flying, oceans sweeping underneath him, forests, plains, even the tallest mountains. Everywhere was the beauty of the planet, all the life and energy it had to offer. But no Pokémon.

_Where are all the Pok__é__mon?_ Mewtwo asked the clouds. They gave no reply. _Where are all the Pok__é__mon? Where are all the creatures that make up part of the planet__'__s life?_ He flew faster and faster, revisiting old haunts. Searching for some clue. There was a sudden flare of pain in his heart, an ache that tore through him and brought tears of sorrow to his eyes. _What is this?_

A voice came to him, like a soft breeze. _The tomb under the mountain._

Mewtwo searched his memories. _Under what mountain? What tomb?_

He felt water all around his body, warm and oddly comforting. The dream faded, leaving only that ache in his chest, like something was missing, like someone close to him was calling out for help. Mewtwo forced his eyes open to find that he was back inside the tank at the Pokemon Center. _This is really beginning to become a common occurrence._ His attention was diverted to Sabrina as she ran up to the glass. _Oh don't cry…__y__ou'll start making me sad too._

"Mewtwo!" Sabrina pressed her face against the glass. "How are you? Are you okay?"

_I can barely hear her__._

"Sabrina. Has he awoken yet?" Bill ran into the room carrying a small bag. His face changed from worry to joy when he saw Mewtwo moving in the water.

"He just did. Go get Nurse Joy!"

Bill walked up to the tank. "Good to see you awake again!"

Mewtwo held his head. As grateful as he was to see his friends again, the ache in his heart hadn't faded. Someone, or many someones, were crying out for help.

* * *

Mewtwo moaned and stared through the skylights above his hammock. He and Sabrina had returned home to Saffron City two days ago, and had spent that time cleaning up the house and tending to her Pokémon. The Gym was still closed, but then again Trainers seemed to be scarce of late.

_Sleep, I remember what that was like. Why won't this headache go away? I've tried everything from __a__spirin to Pok__é__-nip. New age therapy to…whatever the hell that weird exercise was. And __i__f Sabrina and Bill think I don't notice them and the way they look at each other..__._Mewtwo looked around his "room". It was actually Sabrina's greenhouse, with his hammock suspended from the ceiling, and a spiral staircase leading up to it. It was a pleasant spot. Usually on lazy days like this he would be content to just watch the clouds roll across the sky. But this headache had stolen even that small joy from him. Joy had said that it was all part of the healing process. If that was the case, Mewtwo just wanted it over and done with.

"Mewtwo?"

_What fine hell awaits me now?_

Sabrina climbed up the steps and stopped at the small platform next to Two's hammock. She smiled when she saw a huge purple eye roll her way. "Come on, fair, today, you wanted to go?"

"Fair?"

"Remember? Bill wanted to take his niece and nephew?" She climbed up in to the hammock with him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Mewtwo sighed contently and scooted over a bit to make room for her. He wasn't looking forward to the bright hot sun, loud noises and watching after a pair of screaming kids all day."I'm not sure I feel up to going."

"Is your headache getting to ya?" She reached up and scratched behind his ear.

_She always knows all the right spots…_

"Like that don't ya?" She continued to scratch the rest of his head, then giggled when a low almost dull purr started.

"Stop it," he teased. The headache had faded some, but it was still present toward the corners of his mind. "It is good to be home."

"I missed you, and your purr. Does Bill know you purr?" Sabrina asked.

"No, and it's going to stay that way."

Sabrina slid off the hammock and stood on the staircase. "How have you been feeling?"

"I haven't slept a wink since coming home from the Pokemon Center."

Sabrina nodded, she had suspected as much.

"I've tried everything. The aspirin is tearing up my stomach, I can't take anymore, and I don't think Joy will give me a prescription for anything harder." He sighed. Joy still couldn't make sense of most of his blood work, so she was reluctant to prescribe much.

"Do you still want to go out then?"

"I suppose. Getting out and about can't hurt anything, right?" Mewtwo rolled over and faced her. Even though he had lived with Bill for a time, he was still more relaxed around Sabrina. "Besides, maybe the fair will have slushies."

Sabrina giggled. "I tried so long to get you to eat healthy, and Bill ruins it all."

"I like slushies." Mewtwo thought for a minute. "Speaking of Bill, when are you two tying the knot?"

"Two!" She playfully slapped his shoulder, then blushed.

"Don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at each other." He smirked when her blush intensified followed by a nervous giggle. "What got you interested in him in the first place?" Mewtwo smiled when she looked up at him. Then they both said at once, "The accent."

Sabrina giggled again. "I don't think even Haunter managed to embarrass me this much."

"I have my talents."

"You don't mind Bill being around do you?"

Mewtwo shrugged. "I can't compete. He has a career, a nice home, is good with Pokémon and kids. I'm just a washed up ex-villain."

Sabrina laughed. "Don't sell yourself short!" Mewtwo waited patiently until she regained her composure. "Seriously, Two."

Mewtwo pulled her back up on the hammock with him. "I couldn't pick a better match. I think the two of you could learn a lot from each other." He felt her head rest on his chest. They had always been close, some part of them craving the affirmation of another's touch. Her presence relaxed him.

"Thanks, Two, you always cheer me up!" She kissed his nose. Mewtwo felt a fire start in his cheeks. Sabrina giggled. "You're cute when you blush." She slid out of the hammock and started down the stairs.

Mewtwo sat up and groaned. He would do anything for her, as long as she was happy.

* * *

As Mewtwo had predicted, the day was abnormally hot, dry enough to make his fur itch, every flowering bush in the city was spitting out enough pollen to choke an onyx, and the sun seemed to have moved a couple of miles closer to the earth. Every reflective surface pinged back shards of light into Mewtwo's already sensitive retinas. The short tram ride to the fairgrounds had been pleasant enough with a fresh wind coming off the ocean and over the lowlands, but once they had stepped through the brightly-colored steel gates of the main parade, Mewtwo's sinuses were assaulted with the full bouquet of flora the city had to offer combined with the dust kicked up by many happy feet. Bales of straw had been placed to soak up rain water from the night before, adding to the increasingly uncomfortable barrage on his senses. Loud music blared from a calliope somewhere, and all of the rides were a riot of color and motion. Mewtwo was a night creature, and without his psychic abilities to help him filter out the noise from the genuine threats, he felt lost and confused.

Almost as soon as they were in the gate, Sabrina took Bill's niece and nephew by the hand and disappeared into the crowd. Mewtwo remembered them saying something on the way over about taking turns with the kids, so one would have a chance to rest while the other kept them occupied. Sabrina must have gotten the first shift. Mewtwo wasn't about to wander off on his own either. In his condition it was better to stick with his friends.

"Two, hold on." Bill ducked into a stall off to the side, then emerged a moment later. "These should help." Mewtwo forced a smile when Bill handed him a pair of sunglasses. "I noticed you were squinting a lot."

_As if my dignity couldn't take any more hits. _ Mewtwo examined the sunglasses, then slipped them on. The side pieces fit behind his ears on the top of his head. They seemed to be novelty glasses made to fit Pokemon, but at least they help to cut back on the glare.

"Do they help a bit?"

"Yes, they do, surprisingly."

"You didn't think humans wore them for the hell of it, did you?" Bill smiled, satisfied.

"You do with everything else."

"Well, most things have a purpose."

"I will never understand the point of clothes. I guess it might just be that I'm a Pokémon, but how can you put up with it?"

"I guess it's just more habit than anything." Bill started walking and Mewtwo took that cue to walk alongside him. Normally he would have felt out of place, but so many other Pokémon were already out and walking around with their trainers.

"I had a hard time putting up with the armor Giovanni had me in." Mewtwo looked around. "Why didn't you say this was a Pokémon fair?"

"You never asked." Bill watched a few kids run with their pet Eevee.

"Did Sabrina say where she went off to?"

"She took the kids to the carousel. I wanted to spend some time with you, and ask you a few questions."

"Oh give it a rest for one day." Mewtwo was tired of all the questioning. Joy was constantly asking questions, Sabrina was constantly asking questions, Bill had never ceased asking questions since they had first met.

"I suppose I should…but I just wanted to know..." Bill looked to the ground.

_I wonder which variation of "yes my head still hurts" I will need to feed him this time._

"Do you think Sabrina likes me?" Bill suddenly blurted out.

Mewtwo blinked. "I was expecting a stupid question, but not that one."

"I haven't been able to focus on anything except her! I can't stand it!" Bill began waving his hands in frustration. "I've tried everything – throwing myself back into my work, doing things around the lighthouse, getting back in touch with old colleagues, nothing has been working!"

"Of course she likes you!" Mewtwo practically rolled his eyes. "You're all she talks about."

"Really?" Bill looked up, his eyes full of hope.

Mewtwo almost fell over when Bill hugged him. "Oh not you too!"

"Thank you, Two!"

"Please! It's embarrassing!" Mewtwo looked around to see if anyone was paying attention.

"Sorry." Bill let go. "I don't know what came over me. Let's see if we can have some fun before it's my turn with the kids." He scanned the rides and stalls. "I know, they're supposed to have battles over that way, want to check them out?"

"Sure, but can we find a slushie stand first?"

"Done!"

* * *

Mewtwo made a very comical sight with a pair of round sunglasses and a blue raspberry slushie in hand. He stood calmly watching the battles on a crudely chalked out ring in the middle of a large field. Quite a crowd had built up around it, sometimes closing in as the battles grew more intense, and at times drawing away when there wasn't a good one going on. Right now two amateur trainers were pitting a Squirtle against Bulbasaur. Mewtwo tried his best not to intervene, although Bill was obviously getting into it.

"Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!"

"No," Bill groaned under his breath.

_That Bulbasaur is going to win even though the Squirtle has the advantage in experience__.__ Bill knows it, I know it. But __its__ trainer doesn't._

"Squirtle! Tackle!"

Bill slapped his head. Mewtwo shook his. The Bulbasaur had deflected the tackle and thrown its opponent. Mewtwo took a sip of his slushie and walked through the crowd so he was standing behind the trainer of the Squirtle. "Use Water Gun," he whispered.

"Are you sure it will work? Bulbasaur is a grass type." The trainer didn't turn around to see who was talking.

"Yes, but your Squirtle is more powerful." Mewtwo took another sip. "Besides, the trainer has a pattern, he'll use Tackle next."

"If you say so, can't hurt at the rate I'm losing. Squirtle! Water Gun!"

Just as Mewtwo had predicted, the trainer called for a Tackle. The Tackle failed, then the Bulbasaur went rolling out of the ring from one hit.

"Squirtle wins!" came a shout from the volunteer referee.

"Thanks mister." The trainer turned and gasped. "You're a Pokémon?"

Mewtwo smirked, then sipped his slushie and walked back to Bill. "Let's watch a few more."

Over the course of the next few battles, Bill spent less time watching the fights and more time watching Mewtwo. The Pokémon's general stance had changed and his pulse seemed to quicken. His ears were up and alert and his breath seemed to alter with the progress of the battles. "You enjoy battle, I take it?" Bill said when Mewtwo punched the air after a good win on the field.

Mewtwo didn't quite know how to answer that question. He did enjoy the exercise, that freedom that only came when he was able to fully let go and test himself. But at the same time he felt like a monster by doing so. His ability to fight had been the only reason Giovanni had created him, and so by not fighting he was taking control of his own destiny in a way. "I do enjoy a friendly battle sometimes," he answered finally.

Bill looked at the field. "Why don't we then?"

"Nurse Joy said-"

"What Nurse Joy doesn't know won't hurt us. Besides, she said no psychic attacks. If you want to battle, let's do it."

"I'm all for it," Sabrina suddenly chirped.

"Finally found us?" Bill smiled, his expression more relaxed and easy-going now.

"Been watching you two for the past ten minutes." She held up a small bag. "Two, I bought some painkillers if you want to use them."

"Yes, thank you." He dug around in the bag until he found a small bottle of aspirin, shook a few out into his hand and swallowed them down with his nearly empty slushie.

"I wonder if it's possible to overdose on aspirin." Sabrina tied the bag up again and gave it to Bill to hold on to.

"So when can we battle?" Mewtwo smirked.

After registering and signing a few papers, Sabrina and Mewtwo stood ready in the trainer's box at the end of the field. At the other end was another kid, with about five Poké Balls. He raised one on the air and threw it. "Jake calls Kangaskhan!" A tan-colored massive Pokémon appeared on the field, ready for battle. That had not been what Mewtwo was expecting. So far there had been nothing bigger than the odd Oddish or starter Pokémon. One Trainer had had a Gyarados, but they hadn't been in the ring.

"This'll be a cinch." Sabrina smirked.

_This is a side of her I've never seen before…I wonder if I should be worried._

"Sabrina calls..." She winked. "Mewtwo!"

Mewtwo stepped on the field. Immediately the air rang with the sound of half a dozen Pokédexes going off. A moment passed, the trainers looked up, then took a step back.

_Don't I feel loved…_

Jake looked up from his Pokédex. "You can do it Khanie!"

"Mewtwo, Tail Slam," Sabrina snapped.

"That's not going to work on that thing!" Mewtwo countered.

"Don't question me! Just do it!" she barked.

_I'm going to die…_Mewtwo jumped forward and spun, landing the attack. The Kangaskhan stepped back a few paces. Mewtwo landed on all fours and inwardly winced. Slamming that mountain of muscle and meat with the bulk of his tail had hurt both of them. The right side of his tail stung.

"So Two does know other attacks," Sabrina said thoughtfully.

"Khanie! Tackle!" The trainer was quick to react.

"Tack-" Mewtwo froze when the Pokémon charged. He had fought many Pokémon larger than himself before, but never at this severe of a disadvantage.

"Two! Agility!" Sabrina called out.

_She's got to be kidding! Agility with these thighs?_

Sabrina felt her temper rise when Mewtwo jumped to the side and Kangaskhan's head slammed square into Mewtwo's leg, knocking him down and sending him skidding across the dirt. He came to a halt in front of Sabrina.

"Ouch." Bill winced.

There was a fire in Sabrina's eyes that Mewtwo had hoped he would never be the focus of. "You're supposed to do what I tell you! Now get back out there and fight!"

_Yes mistress._ Mewtwo pulled himself to his feet. The crowd was silent, expecting some sort of Psychic attack to follow up such a punishing hit.

"Let me try, Sabrina," Bill said behind her.

"If you think he can do it."

"I know he can." Bill swapped out with her in the trainer's box. A couple of spectators immediately called foul, but the ref allowed it once the other trainer had agreed.

"Khanie!" the trainer shouted suddenly. "Power Punch!"

"Two! Dodge," Bill said firmly.

_Okay, I can do that__._Mewtwo moved his head a bare second before the heavy fist could slam into it.

"Mega Kick followed by Takedown!"

"Mega Kick? Takedown?" Sabrina looked at Bill.

Mewtwo's body reacted without thinking. He sat back on his tail and kicked both legs out. The hit landed on the Kangaskhan's side and knocked the beast over.

"That's a powerful kick," Sabrina whispered thoughtfully.

"Come on Khanie! Get up!"

Mewtwo started a running hop to build up speed, then pounced at his opponent. First his elbow then his shoulder connected with the Kangaskhan's stomach as the Pokémon rose to stand.

"Now push!"

Mewtwo braced himself and used all the power in his legs to push the Kangaskhan backward. The Pokemon resisted for the first few feet, then fell over in a faint.

There was a moment of painful silence, then the crowd erupted. The volunteer referee raised a flag and shouted, "Mewtwo wins!"

Sabrina put her hand to her chin, thinking. _Two hits, __i__t took only two hits to bring that thing down. How powerful is Mewtwo? What level is he fighting on?_

"How do you feel?" Bill asked when Mewtwo returned to the sidelines.

"This is the only time it really felt satisfying to win," Mewtwo panted.

"Feel up for a few more?"

"Oh yes."

* * *

An hour later Bill leaned over Mewtwo on the sideline where the Pokémon had collapsed after getting slammed across the field. "Don't want to fight anymore?"

"I think I'll sit this one out. That Blastoise really did a number on me with the Water Cannon." Mewtwo laughed.

"You lost that match." Bill helped Mewtwo to his feet and they went to a grassy spot to sit down.

"You don't understand." Mewtwo accepted the bottle of water Bill held out. "I've _never_ lost a match. It feels good."

"Even to lose?"

"I wish this headache would go away." Mewtwo took a sip of the water, then reclined on the grass.

"I'm going to go and find Sabrina and the kids. Think you'll be alright for a bit?"

"I'll be fine."

"Right." Bill stood and walked away.

_Bill…I have no idea what to think about him. He really could have been a master trainer, he just has that commanding and trustworthy feel about him. Not to mention the fact that all I've done today was with his help. He can command any Pok__é__mon he wishes, even ones he doesn't own. I can't pick a better match for Sabrina._ Mewtwo watched the battle that was commencing on the field. Blastoise on Blastoise. The crowd was getting soaked and loving every minute of it. The day was getting hotter by the minute, and the fight really wasn't a fight now, it was just an excuse to cool off.

Bill and Sabrina arrived a few moments later, smiling and walking side by side like they had been friends their entire lives. Bill's niece and nephew were exhausted after a day full of rides and greedily devoured their funnel cakes and corn dogs. The sun was beginning to set as the battles became less intense and the crowds went to find optimal viewing places for the fireworks show later that evening. Mewtwo even felt content enough to curl up on the grass like the other Pokémon around him and rest from the excitement of the afternoon's battles. Little by little, the warmth of the sun and caress of the breeze enticed him to sleep.

"Well somebody appears to have had a good time today," Sabrina said as she woke Mewtwo by smoothing his ears back while she pet him. The sky overhead was now dark and dotted in stars. "You were out for a few hours there." Around them people and Pokémon had gathered on blankets and folding chairs to watch the show. The crowd ooh-ed and aah-ed at the huge fireworks exploding in the sky. "Ready to go home?"

"I fell asleep?" He sat up and smiled when she passed him a blue raspberry slushie. The flavor seemed to complement the explosions of color in the sky. How had he managed to sleep through this?

"Two." Sabrina sounded like she was about to ask or say something big, but didn't know how to put it. "You've been acting strange lately. Are you okay? I know you keep a lot of things to yourself, but you know you can trust me."

Mewtwo took a sip as a bright pink firework exploded. "I think I'm about as okay as I'm going to be for the time. It's been a learning experience."

Sabrina was silent, then said softly, "I miss hearing you in my mind. I miss that connection we used to have."

"I miss it too. Talking is so stressful. No wonder misunderstandings happen between humans so often."

"How _did_ you learn to speak?" Sabrina asked.

"I taught myself. I didn't like being able to only say 'Mewtwo' all the time, so I fought against it, and learned how to talk."

"You've never ceased to amaze me." Sabrina looked up at him. He was sipping on the slushie again. She reached over and tugged on his arm a bit. Mewtwo met her eyes. "I missed you." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a sisterly hug.

"I missed you too." He returned the embrace, then looked up after they parted. "Where's Bill?"

"He's on the Ferris wheel with the kids. He paid the guy to stop them at the top so they could watch the fireworks from there." Sabrina settled back on the grass.

Mewtwo held out his slushie. "Sip?"

"Thank you." She took the slushie from him and took a sip. "I haven't seen this many people or Pokémon in one place in a long time. There just haven't been any new trainers, or wild Pokémon for that matter. What is Giovanni up to?"

"I don't know. But we will find out." Mewtwo took his slushie back. "But on a light note, I can't believe how perfect you and Bill are for each other."

Sabrina blushed just a little. "I guess it's that obvious. Yeah, this one came totally out of left field."

"Now I have two best friends."

Sabrina smiled. "What about Mew?"

"Mew's more of a mentor. A very perverted self-centered mentor."

"Worse than Haunter? Ouch." Sabrina and Mewtwo spent a moment in now-comfortable silence. A shower of gold broke in the sky above them. "Tomorrow I have Pokémon Breeder Brock coming over to see if he can make a better food for you."

"Damn determined to get me to eat pellets aren't you?"

"Can't hurt to try." Sabrina took his paw-like hand and made him look her in the eyes. "Just promise me you'll be polite."

Mewtwo smiled at her pleading expression. "I'll try." He turned his head at the sound of a roar. Sabrina could see his eyes become suddenly alert and his nostrils flared a bit. The battles were starting back up with a whole new set of Pokémon. "Just one more battle..."

Sabrina knew that it would never stop at just one battle, and even as she watched she could feel her own excitement rise. She enjoyed a good match as much as her Pokémon did. "I guess one more couldn't hurt."

* * *

"Just drop it down over there." Sabrina pointed to a corner. Bill put down a few boxes jammed full of papers.

"Thank you so much Sabrina. I know I can get a lot more work done in Saffron City. Are you sure you don't mind giving up one of your spare rooms?"

"Not at all. The pleasure is mine." Sabrina cleared a few things off the shelves so Bill would have a place to put his books. "It will be easier for both of us to monitor Two's recovery this way."

"Speaking of which, where did Two go?"

"He's sleeping. Those battles yesterday really wore him out." Sabrina started helping Bill unpack.

"I don't know how he manages to exist with a constant headache."

"That's why we keep plenty of aspirin around, honey."

Bill paused. "Did you just call me 'honey'?"

Sabrina could feel a blush spread through her cheeks. That had slipped out entirely by accident. "Yes...I suppose I did."

Bill knelt next to her on the floor, and pulled the box away from her. "Well then, I certainly hope you don't mind me calling you love then."

"Not at all." Sabrina smiled.

"Alright then, love."

Sabrina felt a fire in her belly as Bill's hand gently took her chin, then his lips softly touched hers. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. _And I do believe this one is __a __keeper._ Sabrina giggled and surrendered to his embrace.

* * *

Authors Note: Once again, a very big thank you to StarWriterWG for beta reading! You're Awesome! ^^


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Training

"Mewtwo still isn't awake yet?" Bill asked around his mug of morning coffee.

"He battled a lot yesterday. Usually when a Pokemon is that beat up, I take it to a Center." Sabrina set her plate of eggs down then sat down herself. "But since Two has been in every Center between here and Pallet, he'll panic if I take him to another. Besides, he has a knack for sleeping off anything."

"He really likes to fight eh?"

"Well, it's what he was made for."

"Made? Thats a bit harsh." Bill used the side of his fork to cut into his pancakes.

"Its true, Two or Joy never told you?"

"Told me what?" Bill took a bite. "Two or Joy never told me anything, all I know are the attacks he's capable of, and the little bit of information from the file Joy had given me that she gleaned from Team Rocket. But that didn't cover where he came from."

Sabrina spread her napkin. "Mewtwo is a clone of Mew."

"He looks nothing like the little thing."

"That's because Team Rocket not only to cloned Mew, but tried to improve upon him. Mewtwo is a combination of several different Pokemon and because of it he's constantly trying to find somewhere to fit in." she sipped her coffee. "Two's always worked to excel at everything. Kind of a built in fail safe I guess. If he keeps going, almost to the point of death until does succeed."

"He really is needlessly hard on himself."

"Just be careful around him, Two is a walking talking weapon. He just doesn't know it. Or if he does, he doesn't want to be. Either way, he gets really unpredictable when he's upset." Sabrina stood and opened the fridge, and proceeded to take out a huge jug of orange juice then a few pieces of fruit. "He should be up soon."

Bill sat quietly for a moment, digesting both his breakfast and the new information, then he spoke up. "What else does he eat? I knew his eating habits when he lived with me, but what is he like with you?" he picked up his coffee again. "Why salads?"

"It's not just salads, it's any kind of fruit or bread. I can't keep enough snap peas around here, those are his favorite snack food." Sabrina was glad for the change of subject.

"Hmmm…All veggies, sounds interesting." Came a new voice from the doorway. Both Sabrina and Bill turned to find a man with spiky black hair walking sheepishly into the kitchen. "Sorry to intrude, but this Haunter let me in…Hey! Is this that same Haunter Ash brought here?" Brock asked, relaxing a little.

"Yep, and he's still keeping me company." Sabrina gestured to an empty place at the table. "Don't worry Brock, I knew you were here. Kadabra told me."

Bill stood and went to the counter top to refill his mug, and pulled one down for Brock as well. "I remember you! Maker of those fabulous double cheeseburgers! Coffee?"

"Sure." Brock sat down. Accepting a stack of pancakes and already getting down to business. "You said it was a rare psychic Pokemon, usually psychic types crave a lot of protein and skimp on the veggies. Strange. What else does he eat?"

"Anything with sugar." Sabrina answered as Bill set Brocks mug down, then sat down himself. "About a week ago he made of with a platter of candied yams, and every time we go out, he asks for slushies. That's Bill's fault."

"Now love, he wanted to try one." Bill tore into his food once more.

"Yeah, sure, after how much convincing from you?" she shot back.

"I merely suggested."

"Whatever." Sabrina smiled at Bill. "He also likes vegetarian pizza to an extent. He doesn't like dairy products, and only takes cheese in small doses."

"You let him eat human food?" Brock asked.

"He refuses to eat the pellets." Bill then told Brock about one night Sabrina had been trying to get Mewtwo to eat the pellets just for his own sake, and the three of them ended up throwing the little rock-hard things at each other. "Two doesn't like the way they taste."

"That's strange. That's my most popular recipe for psychic types." Brock took a sip of his coffee. "When can I see him?"

"He should be awake in a few." Sabrina set the bowl of fruit at another empty place at the table.

"I can't wait to meet him."

* * *

Mewtwo lay in his hammock with a pillow over his face. _My head hurts, my body is sore from fighting. _He rolled over and looked down at Sabrina's ancient Bulbasaur who was walking around and watering the plants. "Missed one."

"Bulba!"

_ Cute little thing, I wonder how my Venosaur that I had cloned is making out?_ He reached a foot out and touched the platform, then gained his balance on the spiral staircase. _It was so much easier when I just floated down._ He groaned as his weight settled on his sore legs and back. Gripping the guard rail and central column, he traveled down the steps until his feet touched the grass in the greenhouse. The Bulbasaur was still watering plants.

Mewtwo passed by Sabrina's prized rosebushes on his way to the screen door leading into the house. He could hear voices in the kitchen. Sabrina was talking at the moment, her voice clear and excited.

"-Well then Bill asked to give it a try, and I guessed it was okay since there's nothing in the league rules against tag-team training. Lo and behold Two wins the match."

"Awesome." Brock finished off his coffee. "For a Pokemon that loves to battle this much, it must have killed him to lose his powers."

"Oh it did." Mewtwo spoke up.

Brock spun around in his seat. How had something that big get into the kitchen unnoticed? His gaze settled on Mewtwo's face. "Wait a minute, I've seen you before…"

_ He's…oh great._ Mewtwo hung back in the doorway. _Crap, it's another one of the trainers from the island. _ He stood still, the thin fur on his hackles rising as Brock studied him, the breeders expression growing more stoic by the moment. _And he remembers me._

"Mewtwo. I knew that name sounded familiar." Brocks voice was suddenly cold. "So you've lost all your psychic powers huh? Maybe that's for the best."

_ I don't have to take this._ Mewtwo grabbed his bowl of fruit from the table and then went to retreat back to the greenhouse.

"Mewtwo…hey…Listen to me!" Brock grabbed Mewtwo's arm.

Mewtwo glared at Brock. "Listen to what? Listen to you throw the past in my face?" Just that one little grab had been enough to confirm what Mewtwo had been afraid of all along. That even though he lived with humans, he would never be considered their equal.

"Two," Bill stood up from the table. When Mewtwo was this angry usually something got hurt…badly.

"Let go of me human!" Mewtwo reared back on his tail and kicked. His feet connected with Brock's chest and sent him back into the kitchen and into a shelf full of books. Bill scrambled to Brock who had the wind knocked out of him. Sabrina stood up and chased Mewtwo down the hall.

"Two, get back here!" She scurried up the hall after him. "I asked you to behave, Brock could be hurt!"

"Then he shouldn't have touched me!" Mewtwo slid into the green house, then turned and faced Sabrina when she came through the double doors. "And now what will you do? Put me in a ball?"

"Of course not!" She folded her arms. _He's scared, really scared…Why?_ Sabrina unfolded her arms and forced herself to relax. _After all the time he's lived here, Brock coming here invaded his space. How could a Pokemon this powerful still live in fear of every one he sees? I knew he was skittish, but to go and attack a human flat out like that?-And why not, he's done it to Bill._

Mewtwo swallowed. He didn't need to read her mind to know she was analyzing him. He tried to calm his temper, become rational once more, but his fur wouldn't smooth, his chest still tight and his fists remained balled.

Sabrina closed the door behind her, trusting that Bill would take care of their guest. "No Two. I don't view you as just a Pokemon. Don't look so shocked, I was trying to read your mind and that thought was on the surface." She reached up and took his paw, then carefully uncurled his fingers. "I know that you were scared. Hell, I'd probably do the same thing if I saw someone from the past that held something over my head."

"Bill doesn't know about New Island." Mewtwo finally calmed, feeling his fur settle and his muscles loosen.

Sabrina then reached up and began scratching behind his ear. She felt the tension leave the air as Mewtwo leaned into her scratches. "Just like an over grown bi-pedal kitty."

"Oh stop it…"

"Not when you enjoy it this much." Sabrina smiled, trying to make light of the moment. "Now can you at least go back and apologize to Brock?"

"If he's not unconscious." Mewtwo felt her hand leave.

"I care about you Two. So does Bill, and even though he just walked in, so does Brock." Sabrina turned and opened the double doors once more. "Just come on out when you're ready."

_ Why does she have that effect on me? What is it that she and Bill have that makes me do their bidding? Is it friend ship or something more? Last time I was that angry and scared it took me three days to calm down. How did she manage it in a few moments?_ Mewtwo looked down at his hands. _Why am I so different? Why do they accept me? Why?_

* * *

"It's not the kick that hurt, it was the little brass statue of a Kadabra that fell on him from the book shelf." Bill looked up as Sabrina came in to the kitchen. "How's Two?"

"I managed to calm him down." Sabrina sat down and started cleaning up the kitchen. "It took almost all I had, but I did it."

"Oh…" Brock moaned. "I think I need a new ice-pack."

Sabrina smirked. "Did we mention that he was edgy?"

"It was my fault anyway. I should have remembered how he was. I need to apologize to him." Brock sat up.

Mewtwo slowly came into the kitchen with his fruit. He sat down at the table and took a bite of an apple. Brocks gaze rested on him. "Sorry." Mewtwo said in monotone.

"Nah, like I was telling Sabrina and Bill, it was my fault. I shouldn't have grabbed you. Besides, I wanted to thank you anyway." Brock stepped out of the way as Sabrina and Bill picked up the books and set them back on the shelf. Mewtwo was beginning to wonder if his kick had shaken something loose in the Pokemon Breeders head.

Brock took in the blank expression on Mewtwo's face, and tried speak without getting kicked again. "It's really hard to say, but, Thank you, for all you did on New Island...I guess, what I mean is, you showed me how to be a better trainer and breeder, by showing me what not to do. It really is sad how no one trained you or even gave you the love that came with training…Or something like that…Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Somewhat." Mewtwo took another bite of his apple. Although he normally enjoyed watching confused humans, he had to respect that Brock was making an honest attempt at an apology.

Brock tried to read Mewtwo's features but nothing gave any hint as to what the Pokemon could be thinking. "Sorry I wasted your time."

_ Well, that's a first. My time? Valuable?_ Mewtwo looked back at Sabrina and Bill, they had just about as much shock on their faces as Brock had when he had kicked him.

"Sorry, I can't really explain it." Brock looked away, then sat down at the table.

"No, I think I understand what you're trying to say. Its not an easy thing to put into words." Mewtwo set his bowl on the table. "Sabrina, is there still coffee left?"

"I was wondering when you'd want some." She poured some coffee in his favorite black mug. "Here ya go."

With the air between them now clear, they sat sat down to finish breakfast and discuss plans for the remainder of Brocks stay.

* * *

"Brock! Get out of the kitchen and in here! The game is starting!" Sabrina called. The "game" in question was the Kanto Pokemon League Semi Finals. Every Friday night, all of the humans and Pokemon in Sabrina's household would gather in the living room around the TV and watch the games. Bill and Sabrina were sharing the couch and Mewtwo had claimed one of large reclining chairs.

"Just one more minute!" Brock called back. There was the sound of a huge pot crashing to the floor followed by cursing.

"Why did you let him cook?" Mewtwo asked Sabrina.

"He wanted to. Said he wanted to make up for this morning. Besides, I'm tired."

"It was my night to cook." Bill glanced over the back of the couch and toward the kitchen.

"You can cook tomorrow night then." Sabrina snuggled up against Bills side with Kadabra sitting up at her feet.

"I just hope he..." Mewtwo sniffed the air. "Mmm…"

Sabrina looked toward the kitchen this time. "That does smell good."

"Almost done, just need to plate up." Brock called out. "Here, Bulbasaur, can you take this out to Bill and Sabrina?"

"Bulba!"

_ Aww, now ain't that cute?_ Mewtwo watched Bulbasaur come out carrying two drinks in his vines. _I never really approved of slave labor but he seems to be enjoying it._

"Thank you Bulbasaur." Bill took his drink.

"Bulba!"

"The games starting." Mewtwo turned up the volume on the TV. Evenings with friends watching a favorite show were one of lifes guilty pleasures, it was an activity that both unified and spurred discussion among them.

Brock came from the kitchen, and set down a finger food feast on the coffee table. "It feels good to be cooking for so many people again. Tell me if you like it."

"We will," Sabrina and Bill pulled away from each other long enough to grab some small plates and load up on the bite-sized snacks. There was everything from tiny hamburgers to sliced fruit and other savory dishes.

Brock went back to the kitchen and returned with three bowls. "Here's Haunter's Kadabra's, And Bulbasaur's."

"Need any help?" Sabrina asked around a mouthful of some kind of mini egg roll.

"Naw, I got it." Brock came out again with a large wooden bowl and set it down in front of Mewtwo. It looked like a normal enough salad, with chunks of pumpernickel croutons and a light dressing. Brock noticed Mewtwo's puzzled expression. "It's my world famous garden salad. With a few things extra." Brock sat down and took his own place.

_ I guess I'll try it. How does that old saying go? For every new food you try it adds seventy-five days on to your life? _Mewtwo picked up his fork, then noticed that everyone in the room was looking at him." I can't eat with everyone staring at me."

Sabrina chuckled then turned around, and Bill became interested in the TV again.

Mewtwo was pleasantly surprised at the fresh crisp taste with just enough oil in the dressing to provide flavor and texture. The little balls that he thought were pumpernickel were something else he couldn't quite put his finger on, but they were sweet and chewy, like little balls of molasses rolled in nuts.

"Do you like it?" Brock asked. His food remained untouched as he scrutinized Mewtwos reaction.

Mewtwo simply smirked and took another bite. "It's okay."

Sabrina snorted. "He means yes...don't you?" she asked in a warning tone.

Mewtwo took the hint and nodded, then turned his attention to the TV. Through the fights Bill kept his eyes focused on Mewtwos thin neck. During the heat of battle, The Pokemon's pulse would quicken and his general expression changed. He was no longer a creature with extreme intelligence, but an animal, longing for battle. Mewtwo had tasted the thrill of combat the other day and wanted more. After the food had been eaten, Bill started collecting plates during a commercial break. "Brock, Sabrina and I will take the dishes out. You deserve a break after that marvelous dinner." Bill picked up Mewtwo's bowl. "Sabrina?"

"Uh, yeah." She rounded up the rest of the plates, then followed Bill into the kitchen. Once there she placed the dishes in the sink and whispered. "You noticed it too?"

"Mewtwo wants to fight, he loves to fight. I think we should train him."

"But how? It's been so long since I've done any kind of training, and I don't have the skill to train a Pokemon like him. Besides, I have nothing on his power or skill level."

"We invite other trainers for that. And you are talking to one of the world's foremost authorities on all things Pokemon. I'm sure that together, we can figure it out." Bill walked over and hugged Sabrina. "He'll be fine. We'll be there every step of the way, he may not obey us like other Pokemon, but at least he does listen. Come now Sabrina, for Two?"

Sabrina gave in. "I'll see what I can do."

"Wonderful Love! Now come, the shows on again!"

* * *

_Huh? _Mewtwo was suddenly ripped out of sleep and into a headache. His last memory had been going to bed after the Pokemon Semi-Finals. _What time is it?_

"Wake up sleepy head!" Sabrina chirped, climbing up the staircase toward Mewtwo's platform.

_ What in Arceus' name could she possibly want?_

"Wake up!" Sabrina rocked the hammock back and forth a couple of times. "Wakie wakie!" she said, knowing how annoying it sounded.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Mewtwo rolled over and bent his pillow over his ears. "What is this all about?" he opened his eyes and peeked through the skylights above his hammock and noted it was still dark outside. _The house better be on fire..._

"Come on sleepy head, today begins your training!" Sabrina persisted.

_ Training? Day? The damned sun isn't out yet!_ He rolled over, pulling the blankets over his head.

"Get up!" Sabrina said impatiently. She growled then flipped the hammock over. Mewtwo let out a small surprised "Mew!" then fell past the platform and landed in the grass on all fours, claws in his hands and feet digging into the sod.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he shouted. But he was awake. The sudden adrenaline rush was enough to keep him on edge for a few hours.

"Not yet." She slowly descended the stairs. "Lets go."

"I could've broken a leg!"

"You seem to have landed just fine, as I predicted you would." She smirked. "Now get ready, we're heading out in an hour."

Mewtwo watched her leave the greenhouse, then took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He hadn't agreed to any training and wondered what it was they had in store for him. He thought about turning around and heading back up to his hammock, but knew that it would be useless to defy Sabrina. Grudgingly, he followed her to the kitchen.

"I can't believe you actually managed to get him up." Bill said to Sabrina with a touch of admiration in his voice as Mewtwo entered the room.

"You just have to know the right buttons to push." Sabrina said smugly then picked her favorite mug from its hook. "Coffee Two?"

"Black." Mewtwo looked over at Bill who seemed a bit more cheerful than yesterday. _I think they had a pleasant encounter last night._

Sabrina saw the smirk on Mewtwo's face. "Don't you even think about saying anything."

"Say what?" Mewtwo couldn't resist a smile.

Sabrina put the coffee down in front of him. Haunter floated into the room and looked at Mewtwo, then at the others around the table. "Haunt?"

Mewtwo leaned over to the side. "Mewtwo mew two two mew."

Haunter looked between Sabrina and Bill then started laughing.

"I have half a mind to dump this whole pot of scalding hot coffee right in your lap." Sabrina blushed then she sat down.

Bill looked up from his paper. The silent exchange of the past few minutes hadn't reached him. "What's wrong Love? Why are you blushing so?"

Mewtwo chuckled under his breath and Haunter faded through the floor.

"And why do we have two giggling Pokemon?"

"It's nothing hon." Sabrina took a huge gulp of her coffee. "Lets just get going."

* * *

It took an hour by bus to reach the outskirts of Saffron City, then another two hours of hiking through the wilderness following trails through the marshlands and foothills before reaching their destination. Along the way Bill and Sabrina chatted with Brock and caught up on news from other areas of the Pokemon world.

"What are we doing way out here?" Mewtwo asked when Bill and Sabrina stopped in the middle of an open field with tall waving grasses. He knew they had mentioned something about training, but Sabrina was being purposely vague in the details, which meant he probably wasn't going to like what she had come up with.

Sabrina and Bill set down their back packs and stretched. "Now," Sabrina spoke up. "We start training!" She waved her arms and gestured to the huge open field around them.

_ This place is like that dream, so empty…_ Mewtwo looked around. The sun was low on the horizon, casting a rose-colored glow over softly waving grasses and the few bushes scattered here and there. They had left early enough to still have the bulk of the day to themselves.

"Two, Put this on." Sabrina took a strange nylon harness from her backpack.

"You're joking right?" Mewtwo studied the mass of buckles and padding. "What purpose will that serve?"

Sabrina had been expecting his inquiries. "As long as I've known you, I still haven't gotten a good bead on your skill set. This harness has sensors built into it that will send information to the computer in my backpack as we train. With that information, we can further refine your abilities."

That at least sounded reasonable, and the the harness didn't look as strange as it did before. He did note a few handholds and loops that didn't seem in keeping with her claim however. Mewtwo looked around at of the soft grass and sniffed the air. The wild scent of it seemed to ignite all of his senses. _I want to run._ He had missed the large fields around Bills lighthouse.

Sabrina and Bill helped to fit the harness on Mewtwo while Brock set up the computer and a small base camp for the days work. Once all the equipment had been calibrated Mewtwo and Bill worked out a path to take around the field, complete with a few jumps and minor obstacles. The harness was activated and the testing began.

A few hours later Bill and Brock counted off the fiftieth revolution around the huge field. Mewtwo wasn't getting tired in the least, his heart rate was stable as was his breathing rate.

"Hey Bill," Brock came up behind Bill carrying a small basket packed with the days lunch. He peeked over Bills shoulder at the readout. "Wow, his body is really efficient at using every scrap of energy to its fullest. I wonder if his physical abilities are separate nervous system from his psychic abilities."

"I had been wondering the same thing myself." Bill took out a pair of binoculars from his backpack. Two was following the tree line, and was scaring up all sorts of wild life. "He's been doing great. Sabrina's been trying to find a way to give him a more effective workout."

"Adding some weight to him might work. Like carrying rocks or something." Brock offered.

"Huh, good idea. I'll get him to come back." Bill picked up a blue flag and waved it. Mewtwo saw it and followed the trail back around. Once he reached the camp, he skid to a halt. Sabrina came in from her lookout in the middle of the field. Mewtwo stretched, then leaned over to look at the readouts.

"Break time already?" Sabrina asked Bill as she sat down on the grass. "Find out anything useful?"

Bill turned the laptop around so everyone could review the data. "Everything is checking out perfectly. Two is quite an athlete, I have no doubt that he would do well in more serious battles. Even so, the data lacks any kind of stress testing. Brock suggested adding some weight to see how Two reacts."

Mewtwo could see where this was going.

Sabrina smiled. "Alright then, Brock, want to go for a ride?"

"You mean it?" Brock looked Mewtwo over. "I mean, uh..."

Sabrina chuckled. "Come on Two, we're out in the middle of nowhere, no one is going to see you. You've given me plenty of piggyback rides before. Just a couple of times around the field just get the data."

"I wonder how much of my pride you're going to make me swallow for the sake of 'data'," Mewtwo reluctantly knelt so Brock could get on.

Brock took hold of the harness and sat down as neatly as he could. "For the record this wasn't my idea." Mewtwo felt the stress in his legs already as Brocks weight settled on his frame.

"Will you be okay Two?" Bill asked when he saw the reading spike on the screen.

"I'm fine." Mewtwo played it off. "Next time I'll take you and Sabrina both."

"Brock you okay?" Sabrina smiled.

"Just peachy." Brock wrapped his hands around the straps. "Ready when you are!"

_ I'm never giving piggy-back rides again…What does this guy eat?_

Bill watched through the binoculars then checked the screen. "He's slowing down now...ah these are better readings."

"I'm not surprised." Sabrina took a sip of the tea Brock had brought. "I guess I should have told Two that Brock is about two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle."

"You devilish creature!" Bill laughed.

"Eh, he can handle it." Sabrina laid back in the grass. "It's such a nice day."

* * *

"Two! Wakie wakie!"

_ No! Not again!_

"Come on!" Sabrina sang.

_ Wasn't yesterday enough? Sadistic wench!_

"Don't make me flip you again." She teased. One big purple eye shot open and glared at her. "You can't quit training now, we only just started." Sabrina started shaking the hammock and stopped her torture when he rolled over.

"Even Arceus rested on the seventh day Sabrina." Mewtwo's hand searched the side table for his glass of water. "Is there coffee on?"

"Yep! And I already have one cup, lots of sugar ready for you." Sabrina knew she wasn't making it any easier for him to climb out of bed when she started scratching behind his ears. She listened for his dull purr then kissed his cheek and ran down the stairs.

Mewtwo climbed out of his hammock again, the aches and pains of the previous days exercise already beginning to fade. Even his headache wasn't as bad this morning. Like every other morning he climbed down the staircase and through the house to the kitchen.

_This can't be good. They're getting the hiking equipment together._ Mewtwo sat down at the kitchen table trying to remain perfectly still as Bill and Sabrina went about their work. _I wonder what they have planned today. That's not good…Backpacks, sleeping bags, food, my Poke-pellets._

Brock had gone home the week before, and after a few battles with him and a few other victims-er-trainers, he had left the Pokemon food as promised. And Mewtwo actually liked it. It was fresher tasting, sort of like candy, but with a softer flavor.

"Where are we going?" Mewtwo asked very Bill-like around the lip of his mug.

"Out." Sabrina said enigmatically.

"Can't we just stay home today?"

"Nope, better start packing! Tonight we're sleeping under the stars." She said in an almost too-chipper tone.

Mewtwo gulped down the rest of his coffee. "Great."

An hour and a bus ride later found the three friends on another trail out in middle of nowhere. Sabrina had happily led them through the training field, over a few fences and onto a well-worn trail through the woods. Mewtwo found it especially troublesome because he could run much faster than the humans walked. It hurt his legs to walk slowly behind them. Despite the aches and pains, Mewtwo was happy to have a chance to get out of the house and for a nice long walk in the woods. In the distance he could see Mt Moon.

"The woods are so quiet." Bill said after a long comfortable silence.

"It's because almost all of the Pokemon have been captured by either trainers or Team Rocket. The rest are in hiding." Sabrina said softly. "That's how Two got hurt. We tried to stop him. And I failed miserably."

Mewtwo took two hops from the back of the line and stopped when he pulled even with her. "Stop blaming your self."

Sabrina sighed. "I can't help but feel it was my fault. I convinced you to go."

"Sabrina, I didn't need any convincing. I was going to go back to face him with or without you."

Bill stopped and watched in curiosity. He had watched these little blame-game battles between them for some time, even though from an outside point of view he felt like he was only getting half the conversation.

Mewtwo put his hands on Sabrina's shoulders. "It's because of you I'm not dead, and it's because of you I'm not in that restraining armor."

"But you still got hurt, badly."

"Look, not too many humans would do that for a psychotic Pokemon like me." Mewtwo let go and turned, heading up the trail once more, then stopped. His tail thrashed back and forth indecisively.

"Two?" Bill walked up behind Sabrina and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her, but at the same time unsure of what he could do for Mewtwo.

"I know what humans say." Mewtwo mumbled under his breath. "I've been listening to it since I was created. I'm chaotic, out of control, and hard to deal with. And before you ask...no, I'm not okay, I'm not fine or anything! A third of my brain is missing. My entire life has been turned around, I had independence once, and now I've been reduced to a pet. An uncomfortable one with a short temper." He turned around. "I'm only here because-" He stopped himself.

Sabrina gently pushed Bills hand off her shoulder, and closed the distance between herself and Two. Mewtwo met her eyes. _I'm here because I love you._

Sabrina's eyes widened. She had heard him in her mind, not like a thin memory whisper, but a true voice and presence that she had been missing. It was an indescribable comfort to her, like a hug from her father or visit from a old friend.

Mewtwo wiped a bit of blood away from his nose. There was an awkward moment of silence, then Mewtwo resumed walking up the path.

Bill approached Sabrina. "What was that all about? What did he tell you?"

"Nothing Bill." Sabrina smiled.

Mewtwo listened to their chattering, even though he knew that Bill and Sabrina would never intentionally ignore him, he couldn't help but feel a little out of place and alone. _So you told her. She didn't scream, she didn't do anything. The whole situation is complicated. I would have to go off and get attached to a human._ He looked up, watching the sun filter through the leaves in the forest canopy. _But I don't love her like Bill loves her, yet I can't see myself without her. Sometimes I wish I didn't have any emotions…_

** "That would really suck. Trust me, you're better off with them, the extreme ones and all."**

"Mew?" Mewtwo stopped and looked around. "Where are you?"

"Did you say something Two?" Bill called.

"Must have been the wind…" Mewtwo kept walking, but kept checking over his shoulder.

* * *

"Here we are!" Sabrina said after cresting the last foothill and dropping her backpack on a convenient log.

"A hotspring?" Bill set his down as well. "This is where you were taking us?"

"Yep, been in the family for generations." Sabrina began to rummage around in her pack looking for her towel.

"And I hope it stays that way." Bill set his own pack down. "Where's Two? His pack is right here, but I don't see him?"

A loud splash echoed through the woods, followed by a long low contented sigh. Bill and Sabrina peeked around a rock wall and saw Mewtwo was already in the water, leaning back against the side of the steaming pool. "Bill, Sabrina, I take back everything mean I've ever said to either of you."

The hotspring was little more than a deep steaming pool with a rough wall made of rock to hide it from prying eyes. A small wooden shack had been constructed off to one side with fold down beds and a small kitchen. Bill went to put the packs in the cabin while Sabrina slipped into the water of the spring. He noted a sign on the door that read, _Property of Saffron City Pokemon Gym, please take only what you need, and need what you take. Leave the cabin and the spring as you found it, clean and ready for the next visitor._ The kitchen was stocked with some canned goods, dinnerware, pots and pans for cooking, and there was bedding in one of the cabinets. All in all it was a cozy little spot. Bill spent a moment reading through the guest book, amused by the stories the trainers told and pictures they had left. However he was saddened to see that there had only been two recorded entries in the past year, and each one read the same.

_No Pokemon here._

Saddened, Bill put the guestbook away, then went to join Sabrina and Two. It had been a long time since he had been in a hotspring, and after the long walk he knew it would feel wonderful.

_This feels so much better…_ Mewtwo leaned back looked at the sky. _Night is coming on. I didn't know we had been gone for so long already. This water, it feels…so familiar…_ He began to drift off to sleep, one last content sigh escaping his throat.

Sabrina sat up in the water. "He's out."

"Shouldn't we wake him?"

"Nah. He's fine as long as he doesn't drown." She leaned back and let the water close around her.

"Won't he cook?" Bill teased.

"Bill, the water isn't that hot." Sabrina giggled.

"I've heard a couple of horror stories about egg-type Pokemon being left too long in hotsprings."

Sabrina laughed, then snuggled up closer to Bill. "I wonder what Two's dreaming about."

"Don't really care at the moment." He smiled fiendishly.

"Bill! Bill!" Sabrina yelled, splashing water at him.. "Not here! Bill!" She started laughing. "Alright, you win!"

* * *

_Mewtwo was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming because he could always fly in his dreams. He flew over barren forests, gray and decayed. Where were all of the Pokemon? The wind was cold and stale, the balance of energies that the legendary Pokemon would keep in check were now out of control. He flew faster, toward a mountain in the distance, surrounded by the stench of pain and death._

_ Where were all of the Pokemon?_

_ The rivers were dry, the sky dark and dusty. Why? Who could upset the balance of power on the planets surface, and to what end? _

_ There came a rumble from the east, and below him he saw a stampede. So many different kinds of Pokemon, even ones that would normally be enemies, all running from one foe. Behind the Pokemon he heard car engines. Headlights stabbed through the dark dismal air as several vehicles, loaded to almost overflowing with Team Rocket agents, broke from the ash-like trees and into the open._

_ At the head of the mass of Pokemon flew Mew. Mewtwo had never seen him so upset. The Team Rocket agents fired ice guns to slow the escaping Pokemon. Mew spun in air and unleashed the most devastating psybeam Mewtwo had ever witnessed. Two of the Team Rocket trucks simply ceased to exist, only vague ashes remained that were soon scattered by the other trucks in the column. _

_ Other passengers in and on the vehicles began to throw various kinds of Pokeballs, capturing the stragglers or the ones too frozen to move. Mewtwo watched in horror as Mew took the full brunt of an ice beam and faltered. Several masterballs flew through the air, but it only took one to capture him._

_ Enraged, Mewtwo roared and flew at the masses, searching for the one Pokeball that held Mew. The Team Rocket agents all turned on him collectively. In the shadow of the mountain. _

* * *

"Ah!" Mewtwo sat up in the water.

"Two, are you finally awake?" Sabrina came out of the cabin then leaned over the side of the pool.

Mewtwo pulled himself out of the water, his legs and arms weak from the hotspring. Bill and Sabrina had set up his hammock between a couple of trees nearby. _Mew…it was just a dream…A stupid dream…_

"Your towel is on the log over there." Sabrina pointed to where Bill sat with a notebook.

Mewtwo found the towel and began to dry his short thin fur. _I look like a prune…_

Bill glanced up from his notebook. "You were mumbling a bit in your sleep," he picked up a mug of coffee and sipped it. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to fall asleep in hotsprings?"

"I'll keep it in mind." Mewtwo answered, attempting to restore his good humor.

They enjoyed dinner in each others company, laughing about old times and telling stories, sharing hopes and aspirations for the future. Bill had built a fire in a circular pit outside the cabin. Eventually as the night wore on, Bill and Sabrina retired to the cabin. Mewtwo was content to spend his night in the hammock under the dark moonless sky.

_I wish I could sleep, but some thing is telling me not to. What? What could be wrong?_ He turned away form the dieing embers of the fire and looked at the night sky. _The stars. Mew told me that if I ever get lonely, then just look at the stars. It does help a little, but I miss seeing the clouds form the other side._

A pink bolt suddenly darted overhead.

_ Is it?…It is! Mew! Can you hear me? Mew!_

"Mew!" Came high a pitched squeal.

_ Mew! What's wrong?_

"Mew mew!"

_ What?_ Mewtwo rolled out of his hammock. His feet hit the ground heavily.

"Mew Mew!" A red bolt suddenly shot after the pink ball. "Meeeewww!"

_ Who would be dumb enough to try to attack Mew?_ Mewtwo looked in the direction of the red blasts. _How dare they?!_ He started hopping, not caring about how far or fast he went. His dream was coming two. Odd since he had never been able to predict the future before.

"Mew!

"I'm coming!" he ran through the trees, jumping fallen logs easily thanks to all of the training he had in the past week. Mewtwo scaled a small steep hill, then paused at the top, looking down on a narrow gully. To his surprise he saw a few wild Pokemon hiding there._ Is Mew protecting them?_

"Mew mew!"

_ Teleport! Now!_ Mewtwo looked up.

The pink ball vanished.

_ Good…_ Mewtwo started hopping away, hoping to lead their pursuers in another direction. And just like in his dream, he saw headlights from a truck of some kind stab through the gloom, accompanied by the shouts and smells of humans and their likewise corrupted Pokemon.

_ Team Rocket…_Mewtwo's eyes started glowing blue. His instinct drawing on his psychic abilities before his rational mind could react. He was enraged, and this time he wouldn't fail. _No more! No more! I won't let you take any more!_

Mewtwo settled into his fighting stance, feet shoulder width apart, one arm relaxed, the other outstretched before him. The headlights of the truck washed over his form, and much to his satisfaction, the humans inside seemed to be quite aware that they had bitten off more than they could chew.

It only took one small psychic spark, in just the right place.

The trucks gas tank exploded, flipping the truck and spilling the humans out onto the forest floor. Before any of them could gain their feet, Mewtwo was already off and running.

* * *

Mew descended through the trees and appeared in the gully. The Pokemon, pitiful and common to this area, were all huddled in a little group.

"**You guys okay?"** Mew asked. He had been working with a few other legendaries to help move and resettle various Pokemon populations for the past year. Team Rocket had always hunted the higher level and more rare Pokemon before. Now it seemed they were after just anything. All Pokemon, even those as commonplace as Pidgey and Rattatas were now in danger. Celibi had been keeping an eye on this bunch, but had to go to ground after a long hard battle. Mew hoped that his friend was okay, he hadn't heard from him in some time.

"Gold duck!" The water Pokemon called out a warning to the others who took up the call.

"Psy!"

"Blas!"

**"Crap."**

"He's over here! I saw him!"

** "We need to go!"** Mew looked for an escape his charges could use.

"Pidgy!"

"There!"

Mew turned and saw a few humans with red "R"s on their chests come crashing through the underbrush. This particular kind never learned. **"I didn't want to to this…"** Mew prepared to fight.

"Ice gun the whole lot!"

"Mew!" Mew put up a barrier, and braced himself for the blast he knew was coming. The ice gun sparked, filling the world with blue light that engulfed the Pokemon.

But the hit never came. Stunned, Mew cracked an eye open to find Mewtwo blocking the blast himself, his barrier full and sparking blue and purple.

_ "Get them out of here!"_ Mewtwo shouted with both his physical and psychic voice

** "Right!"** Mew turned and faced the Pokemon refugees, then looked back at Mewtwo. **"What about you?"**

Mewtwo grit his teeth against the coming headache. _Don't worry about me._ Mewtwo dropped his barrier and looked up at the wall of solid ice in front of him. The Team Rocket agents began to argue amongst themselves now that their prey was cut off from them by their own doing. Mewtwo knew that he couldn't keep this up for long, but he had to do what he could to buy them time.

Mew ushered the Pokemon away, Mewtwo stood up proudly and made an energy ball, ready for the coming assault A warm trickle started down his arm. _I need to think past the pain, I can't let Giovanni win…this madness stops now!_

The Team Rocket agents broke through the ice and balked, not expecting to find a Pokemon standing ready to challenge them. Some gained their heads and leveled their ice guns at him. Mewtwo let lose with a volley of the black energy spheres, some finding their targets, most not. But he managed to keep their heads down for the moment that he needed.

_ This is really going to hurt._

"How did that one escape?" an agent toward the rear of the formation called.

_ I'm sorry Sabrina, Bill, Nurse Joy, I know all of you tried to help me._

Mewtwo dropped to the ground and rested his palms on the smooth stone. His own psychic aura flared and reached out to touch and manipulate the energy inherent in the mountains and ground around him. "_Fissure,_" he whispered.

The ground started to glow blue from somewhere below the surface, and an ear-splitting crack sounded. Long white cracks appeared in the ground, like a spider web stretching away from his palms to ensnare Team Rocket. The ground itself then began to lift into the air, at first subtly, then explosively as it threw Team Rocket agents hither and yon. A low rumbling started, gradually getting louder. That minor earthquake was only the beginning.

_ My head, it feels like its burning, _

The ground split open, opening gaps in the stone that went down for hundreds of feet.

_ The pain..._

Mewtwo pulled his palms off the rock. The attack was out of his hands now, and if he didn't make a speedy retreat he would be caught up in it as well.

_ My head…_ He brought a paw-like hand up to his head, dizziness and nausea overcoming him. The forest around him erupted in blue light. _All gone…Slipping…_ Mewtwo barely felt himself falling. The next sensation was the ground biting into his cheek. _Can't think…Need to stand…Need to…_

In the distance, Mew had teleported the Pokemon refugees to safety, but hesitated to go any further. He couldn't leave Mewtwo in that position all alone, not in the condition he was in. But the area was also crawling with Team Rocket agents, and Mew couldn't afford to get captured himself. He suddenly had an idea, and after giving instructions to the Pokemon in his care, he sped off through the trees.

In the cabin, Sabrina sat up and managed to open her eyes. "Need to…Need to…To…Two?" Confused she rolled out of bed and opened the door to the outside. "Bill! Two's gone!"

"Hon…" Bill rolled over. "He probably just went for a walk."

"No…That's not it….Something's wrong," she could sense a charge in the air, it was making the hairs on her arms stand up.

"Sabrina," Bill sat up. "It's all right, lay back down. You worry so much over him."

Sabrina was about to argue when she caught the scent of soot and ash. She looked up over the tree line and saw flames rise over the tree tops. "Bill! There's a forest fire out here!" She darted back inside the cabin and put her shoes on.

"Upwind or downwind?" Bill snapped awake quickly and nearly fell out of bed himself.

"Upwind I think..." Sabrina scanned the ground and saw foot prints that could only belong to Mewtwo leading away into the forest, in the direction of the flames. "Oh no...what ever happened, he was in a hurry." Patches of dark earth were torn up and tossed. "He went this way." She started running, dodging pine trees that loomed over and threatened her.

"Sabrina!" Bill took off after her, forgetting his shoes and a coat. "Sabrina! Wait up!" He launched down the trail she had followed, but she had vanished from his sight.

"Mew!"

"What?" Bill spun around. He stopped, shocked and amazed at seeing one of the rarest Pokemon in the world looking back at him. "A Mew?"

"Mew!" Mew started flying in the direction he had last seen Sabrina.

"Wait! Where are we going?" Bill followed.

"Mew!"

"I'm coming!" Bill tried his best to keep up.

Sabrina slowed when she came to a section of uneven ground that she didn't remember. Huge pieces of rock had been torn up and were carelessly thrown around the forest. A truck that was in flames drew her curiosity for a moment, and the fire seemed to be contained well enough there. A few trees were over turned exposing massive roots. More disturbingly, she could feel a strong psychic residue in the air. "Oh no…No no no no…" Sabrina broke into a full run and followed the path of destruction. "Oh no…"

Bill froze midstep when he heard Sabrina's sudden scream.

"TWO!"

"Sabrina! I'm coming!" he tripped and almost fell on a rock, but was stopped by a light pink bubble. "Thank you Mew." He ran by the small pokemon, vaulting over overturned trees and boulders, past the flaming truck and even a few groaning bodies of Team Rocket agents. After what felt like an eternity he came to an area where the ground was torn, but not as much as the surrounding area. Sabrina was sitting in the center, crying. "Oh my sweet…"

Mewtwo's head rested in her lap, bleeding from his ears, nose and small trickles that looked almost black seeped from his eyes. Sabrina lovingly stroked his head and gently shook him. "Come on Two…wake up…wake up…"

"Is he?" Bill slowly came forward.

"Why would he do this Bill? What was so important that he ignored all our warnings?" Sabrina wiped her eyes.

Bill was tempted to go back the way he came and peel one of the agents out of tree for questioning.

"I can barely feel his pulse, but its there." She went back to gently trying to shake him awake.

"Mew."

Bill and Sabrina turned toward the source of the sound.

"Mew mew." Mew floated over to Mewtwo. He looked sad. **"Man you really went and did it this time." **With a little sigh, he touched Mewtwo's forehead with his tiny hand. Sabrina felt his body vanish from her arms.

"Where did he-"

Mew then touched her forehead, and Sabrina suddenly found herself outside a Pokemon center. If that was a teleport, it was the smoothest transition she had ever made. "Mew?" She looked to her side, Mewtwo was laying on the concrete, still bleeding. "Two." Sabrina scrambled toward the Center's doors. "Nurse Joy! Nurse Joy!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Silenced

"Clear, the ground, he's coming in!"

"Get this place cleaned up,"

"This soon? Damn we weren't expecting the Boss today!"

The helicopter landing pad outside of Woodland Labs extension of Team Rocket's criminal empire erupted in sudden activity. They all knew they should have expected the Boss. Last night there had been an episode. What should have been a routine round-up of new specimens had turned into a disaster. They had lost a transport, ten agents had been injured, and two outright killed. There had also been rumors of an escapee. Although the head count performed last night had shown that all the experiments had been accounted for.

The sky darkened and the air whipped wildly sending debris and the reek of gas over the landing pad, through the parking lot and into a nearby building. A huge black helicopter landed softly, the landing wheels giving a slight squeak as its weight settled. A pale face peered out of one of the portals, red hair pulled back and piled atop her head.

"Fiore."

Jessie looked down at her knee, where her husband Giovanni had placed his hand on her leg as he said her pet name. "Why are we here Gio?" she asked impatiently. She hated this place. It smelled like death and despair.

"I have business to attend to. However I don't know how long it will keep me." He answered in his customary direct tone.

"Hence the reason you asked me to pack a few things," she looked over at her bag in the corner. Giovanni never packed anything. He always had clothes waiting for him.

The helicopter hissed as the door opened, gradually equalizing the pressure. Jessie had underestimated in the past the capabilities of this particular piece of equipment. Giovanni was the first to stand, a few other agents before him guarding. "Jessie." He snapped, then held out his arm for her to take.

"Alright." She stood. Giovanni pulled her roughly to his side. He didn't say anything yet shot her a glance that told of horrors to come if she protested. Jessie kept her mouth shut and looked toward the ground. She had to keep up appearances, make sure she resembled the good little wife. She put a smile that would make a beauty pageant winner jealous and stepped outside with her husband.

The air was hot yet refreshing, as a warm summer day should be. It was what Jessie had to come to expect of Woodland Labs. As soon as Giovanni's foot hit the ground, they heard a loud cry of delight and the patter of little feet came running over.

"Papa!"

The Boss of Team Rocket knelt and scooped up the little girl that had come running toward him at full speed. "Sarah, school out already?"

"Yes, a month ago. Remember?" Sarah always seemed to have a permanent scowl. She then glared over his shoulder. "What is s_he_ doing here."

"Is there a reason why she wouldn't be?" he countered, his voice deep. Giovanni was an asshole, but he thought the world of his daughter.

"I don't like her," she wiggled, then fell to the ground, catching herself. "The dolls are coming along very well."

Jessie studied this child. The girl who had everything, yet longed to be noticed by her father. Her mother vanished. No one knew if she was dead or alive. Jessie knelt, Sarah backed away, an animal-like scowl twisting her otherwise lovely features. "Here." Jessie pulled a doll out of her bag, and held it out to Sarah. It was a porcelain doll dressed in red velvet as if she was about to go to a party, or meet her dream prince.

Sarah eyed the doll, then crept up and snatched it away.

"What do you say Sarah?" Giovanni grabbed her shoulder and pinched in that way that only seemed to work on children.

Sarah bit back her cries as long as she could, then gasped. "Thank you!"

"You will stay with your mother today."

"She's not,"

"She is now. Accept it," he let her go. "I have business to attend to."

Jessie watched him stalk away. The man could move fast when he wanted to. "Hey Sarah, why don't we go over some of your school work?"

"I don't need school. I'm going to be a Pokemon Master."

"Even Pokemon Masters need school."

Sarah looked at Jessie as if the woman was some form of lower species. "I'll tell my dad on you."

Jessie gave up. "Then you better go and catch him," she moved toward the front entrance, toting a small rolling suitcase behind her. Sarah fell into step beside her. "I would have liked to go swimming today. There's a nice fresh lake nearby, want to join me?"

Sarah just turned her nose up in the air and ran past her.

* * *

"Where is he?"

"This way Boss."

Giovanni followed his security detail to the lower levels of Woodland Labs. He was pissed, and everyone in his path knew it. Only the stupid or the self centered would dare step in his path now. Last nights failed harvest was unforgivable, and all associated parties had already been dealt with.

"Ah, Sakaki, just the man I wanted to see."

Giovanni paused, then looked to the side where a woman wearing a short skirt and a lab coat stood holding a clipboard. "Blackwell. How is he today?"

"Not too good. That's why I needed to see you." She checked off something on the clipboard, then put the pen back behind her ear, locking it in her long black hair. "I wouldn't recommend visiting the project just yet. There are still a few tests that I need to run on him today."

"Tests that can wait." Giovanni said in a warning tone.

"Very well, I will postpone the testing and have a presentation ready when you return. Although don't say I didn't warn you." She slipped back into the lab she had come from, shutting the door. Giovanni peeked through the glass window set in the wall so that activates in the lab could be monitored. A pink and white Mewtwo lay on her side on the table.

"What is that woman doing now?" he moved away, continuing to the end of the hall. A huge metal door greeted him, locking bolts firmly in place along with numerous warning signs.

(You're late.)

Giovanni smiled a little. "Getting more powerful aren't you my friend, I can hear you through the door now." The Boss pulled out a security card and swiped it through a slot to the side. The door buzzed, and with the sound of turning gears, pulled open fully. The agents took a prudent step back.

Giovanni entered the room alone, armed only with his gun that never left his person. The room was round, along all sides were bullet and impact-proof windows showing labs, scientists scribbling at clipboards and tapping away on computers. In the center of the room, a single intense light illuminated a cell constructed of plasteel three inches thick. Inside the cell sat a Pokemon.

Giovanni paused for a moment to examine his newest toy. It sat in the center of the cell, seemingly meditating, a few IV's and other such tubing had been placed in its arms and legs. Shackles held its wrists and feet bolted to the floor. Not that they would do much good. If the Pokemon were so inclined it could easily break them.

"I am here." Giovanni stopped before the cell.

The Pokemon looked up at his masters entry, his tail picking up from the floor. Around him on the walls were the remains of the last person that tried to feed him. The creature was massive, when on its feet it stood eight feet tall, and easily close to four hundred pounds. His form was muscular and toned. A thick strong tail that was twice as long as the beast was tall ended in a diamond shape. The Pokemon was ghost white from the tips of his ears the the tip of his tail. Deep emerald green eyes tracked Giovanni's approach.

(You have returned.)

"Hello Mewthree, my pet." Giovanni pushed a sequence of numbers on a keypad on the wall, and the plasteel panels of the cell slid up into the ceiling. "Have you been well?"

(More tests, more poking, more prodding. More of everything. How I have longed for your return.) He tilted his head, meeting Giovanni's hand to accept the scratches and pats.

"They know they're aren't supposed to give tests on days that I'm here."

(And you expect Blackwell to listen? She has the run of the compound whether you're here or not.)

"I shall talk to her of that," he placed his hand under the Pokemon's chin. "Feel up to a few battles today?"

(If you can find a suitable enough opponent.)

"I shall try." Giovanni then pulled out a pass card and unlocked the shackles, freeing Mewthree. Immediately the room filled with the Pokemons presence. Giovanni felt a slight vibration move through him as the creatures awareness spread and explored.

Mewthree was grateful that the man had given him life, although he would never forget that day. He remembered his heart beating, the vibration of machines through glass, and when he had awakened, there was this man…standing there with his eyes aglow and a gun pointed directly at his face. Not two breaths had left his new lungs before the man began to speak. He would never forget those words either.

"_Don't__ even begin to wonder about who or what you are. I will tell you who and what you are. I created you, you are my servant that will battle for me. If you have any questions or hesitation about your place in this life, make it known now so I can put an end to the problem."_

Mewthree didn't have any questions or hesitation…this was his place, and he wanted to live. Not even two minutes aware and already he had sold his soul. He was devoted to his Master, loved him and bonded to him in ways that no other Pokemon could understand.

Giovanni snapped his fingers and the Pokemon rose to his full height. His long tail swayed almost serpent-like behind him. The differences between a Mewtwo and Mewthree were subtle, but they were distinctive. Where a Mewtwo had a three-fingered hand, Mewthree had four. Mewtwos had two toes on their foot, Mewthree had three. More telling was the overly long tail that swayed and searched the room, and the difference in height. Mewtwos stood between five and at most six and half feet tall. Mewthree towered over all the others.

(I hope I have not displeased you Master.)

"No. I have been away on business, however I am staying the week to train and over see the next harvest."

(I am gladdened by this news)

The Boss felt these words vibrate through his mind. He smirked as Mewthree fell into step behind him.

(Tests had been done today.)

"You had mentioned. What kind?"

(I believe one that had taken more blood than necessary. It has left me light headed.)

Giovanni nodded. "Blackwell had mentioned something. What is that bitch up to? If she keeps going like this, I believe I'll leave you in charge."

(You would trust me to that extent?)

"I trust you more than anything else in here."

Mewthree felt a warmth in his heart. Who would have thought that the man who held a gun to his face would become his best friend?

"I had asked that no tests be done today. My visit shouldn't have been a complete surprise." Giovanni hissed. He stumbled a step when he felt Mewthree's affectionate nudge at his back. "Be more careful!"

The hall seemed to vibrate at Mewthree's chuckle. (As you wish, my master.)

* * *

"She's cute." Jessie gestured to a female Mewtwo, with shades of pink and white on her fur.

The Mewtwo backed away, toward a corner of the cell.

"I won't hurt you." Jessie held out a hand, and took a step forward. The Mewtwo shied back again, showing her teeth. Jessie's smile faded as she glanced over to the handler. "What is her number?"

"M93."

"Ninety-Three? How many Mewtwos do you have here?"

"Right now…seventy five."

"And how is the breeding?"

"Not too good. While all of the females are fertile, we're very choosy with the males. We still haven't had a successful live birth."

"But…why?"

"We don't know."

She looked back to M93. "And why has she been quarantined?"

"Oh, she's in the running to be bred with Mewthree."

Jessie froze. "I wasn't made aware that Mewthree was to be bred…and if I don't know…then my husband doesn't."

"It was Blackwell's orders," the girl said quickly, all too willing to pass the blame onto someone higher ranking than herself.

Jessie nodded slowly. "I see…and what else has Blackwell been doing?"

* * *

Giovanni released Mewthree into the room they had set aside as a battle ground. There was another Mewtwo across the room, its handler standing silent. The room was mostly dark, there were no halogens here to light up the dark corners, only sparse fluorescent tubing that failed to cut through the gloom.

Mewthree took his place on the floor, his opponent M59, shown by the tattoo he had on his right leg, stood across the room obviously shaking in fear. Battling Mewthree was usually a punishment for something they did wrong. M59 couldn't think of anything he had done wrong.

A whistle blew, and M59 jumped to the center, as did Mewthree. Giovanni called out a basic mega punch that was typically rewarded with a satisfying splatter. However M59 ducked and spun at the last moment, landing his own punch across Mewthree's jaw. Mewthree stumbled back, shaking his head, trying to clear his mind. Giovanni paused for a moment, watching. Mewthree NEVER got hit, let alone let the hit faze him. He cursed under his breath. If Blackwell had done any tests to bring down his condition from anything other than perfect, he would have her raven-haired head on a platter.

M59 took this chance to follow up with another punch. His fist never landed on Mewthree. His fist instead landed five feet behind him. M59 looked up in a panic to see that Giovanni had drawn his gun. The hand…and arm in question had been blown clean off.

The handler covered his mouth, looking at the arm twitching on the floor. Scientists and handlers ran past them to Mewthree, and began checking his vitals. Giovanni came in and pushed them away. "No one…_no one_ gets near him during the remainder of my stay! _Understand?_"

They backed away then looked to the other Mewtwo, and walked away.

Giovanni knelt beside Mewthree, inspecting him.

(I am fine Master, I am well.)

"Blackwell you said?"

(Yes.)

"Come." Giovanni stood, and Mewthree followed. M59 held what was left of his arm crying silently. He knew that crying out loud would only make them kill him faster. He wanted to live.

* * *

Blackwell glanced up when the door to her lab slammed open. Giovanni entered, drew his gun, and fired three times. Blackwell bit her bottom lip as three of her staff fell to the ground. Giovanni then stepped forward and rested the still hot barrel of the gun less than an inch away from his face. Blackwell didn't even so much as blink.

"You have some explaining to do Blackwell."

"And I shall, I was getting my information ready when you shot my assistants."

"Explain now." Giovanni snarled.

"To put it simply, Mewthree is dieing."

"How? You yourself said—"

"I know what I had said. Back then the accelerated growth of his cells enabled us to release him early. However, what we did not perceive was that his cells would never slow in thier growth. Its the reason he shot to eight feet tall in two days. Now his cells are beginning to deteriorate. He was young, but now he's getting older, and he'll die within the year."

"And why didn't you fix this problem?"

"You gave us a budget. To just 'fix' it would far exceed the budget and most likely wouldn't work anyway. We have tried to clone him using the data already on file, and that is when we noticed just how quickly he is aging. None of the clones have survived, they became genetically unstable early in their development. Excessive testing has been done in an attempt to isolate exactly what genome or mutation has allowed Mewthree to reach stability."

"And why didn't you inform me of this when you first noticed it?"

"Because I know you would have him destroyed, and there still have one more option, be it a desperate one."

"And that would be?"

"To breed him." Blackwell stated flatly.

"He's killed the candidates every time we've tried."

"I know that. With good reason too, they were far from worthy. That pest is very picky," she sighed.

"And what will breeding do?"

"We made a mistake in accelerating his growth. If we bred him the old fashioned way the offspring will grow and adjust they way they should, becoming more stable. We've already chosen a few candidates, almost genetic blank slates in a sense," she began to collect a few papers that had spilled.

"Why not try artificial insemination?"

"Two reasons, it's cheaper to have a mother, and two, YOU go get a sample of his semen," she pushed her glasses up her nose. "We need to hurry . He is becoming more genetically unstable by the day. His defeat in the ring proved that."

Giovanni put his gun away, then leaned against the wall.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have three more assistants to hire." She stepped over the body of one, then out the door. Giovanni waited for a moment, then stepped into the hall, Mewthree stood waiting for him.

( I think I startled her,) he smirked.

Giovanni didn't answer, his expression remained hard.

Mewthree studied him. His Master was never this cold, at least not toward him. His Master silently led him to his room, his cell, locked him back in place, and left.

The Pokemon watched the door close, then tugged on the restraints. Usually Giovanni would leave them a little loose, so he could at least move his wrists and ankles a little. (Did I do something wrong?) He looked around at all the scientists, busily tapping away on their computers. Robotic arms dropped from above and put the IVs back in his arms and legs. Mewthree still stared at the door, his tail tapping patiently. (Is there some business he needed to attend to? Why was he silent, why…What did I do wrong?) Even when a handler came by to give him his food, he didn't eat, or even take his small pleasure at killing them.

The light in the lab behind him went out, the scientists closed up, their jobs done. Mewthree stared at this new oddity, the light gone…the cell grew a little darker. Those labs were never closed, the lights were always on. Why was that one shut down? Maybe that bitch Blackwell had something to do with it.

Mewthree looked back to the door, awaiting his Master's return.

* * *

"And these are the best you could find?" Giovanni scrutinized the five female Mewtwos before him.

"They are all perfect in their own right. Each can hold their own very nicely in the ring, each of them have good temperament, and each is almost genetically a blank slate." She handed over a clipboard with their stats written on them. "If you have any questions, this may help answer them."

Giovanni flipped through the files. "One per day? Not all at once?"

"With Mewthree, we aren't taking any chances. We must also consider the strain on him. We don't want him dead yet."

Giovanni turned his attention to the first of the five. They stood in a line, their handlers close by. The first shivered yet stood at attention under his heavy gaze. Slowly he moved down the line, looking each one in the eye through their helmets and armor. Each one seemed to shiver or feared him in some way. However there was one who did not. She stood in the center, shoulders back and at ease. Giovanni looked down at her leg and read her number etched in the armor, M93.

"If she survives this process, I do believe I have a new gift for my daughter."

"You want to give her a 'two? Are you positive about that Sakaki?"

"She is my daughter, and she is a skilled trainer. Time to strike some terror into the heart of the League."

* * *

Mewthree's head snapped up as the heavy bolts in the door turned. His tail lifted and his ears perked. (Master?) he called, his spirits rising with the hope of seeing his master again.

Giovanni pushed the door open with ease, then stepped in the room with Mewthree, hands behind his back. "Forgive my early dismissal yesterday. I had a few matters to attend to."

Mewthree watched him unlock the cuffs. (What kind of matters?)

"You'll see."

Mewthree rose when Giovanni bid him to, then led him from the room, through a few more halls, then stopped at another lab.

(Why are we here Master?)

"I have found a mate for you…five of them to be exact."

(I thought you said I could choose my own mate.)

"We don't have time." Giovanni opened the door to a large cell. There was another door to his right that led to on observation booth. Blackwell stood inside, clipboard in hand, scribbling. In the larger cell a female Mewtwo sat in the corner, cowering. Mewthree observed the situation, then took a step back.

(No.)

"Need I remind you exactly who has your life in his hands?"

(I am not cattle like them! You said it yourself!)

Giovanni turned, his gaze harsh. "Get in there or you will cease to exist."

Mewthree felt something crawl up inside him…some emotion he had never known before…it wasn't fear. He knew fear, this was…betrayal….betrayal from a friend. Yet he did wish to live. He remembered waking in the tube, Giovanni…Maybe this was why his master had been acting strangely, he was worried, or…the man hadn't yet pulled his gun, which he usually did by now. So his actions must be sincere.

"Well?"

Mewthree looked up at her, her thigh tattoo read M62. He stepped over the threshold, and the door shut behind him.

* * *

"He killed another one?" Giovanni asked Blackwell.

"Well, not killed just yet. She's in immense shock, bruises on her neck from his hands. Don't give her much longer though. Wish they wouldn't struggle so much, then he wouldn't hit them." Blackwell mumbled to herself.

"And Mewthree?"

"Pissy as usual." She scribbled a bit more on her clipboard. "We'll go ahead and put her in observation. Don't expect much though." She moved across the room, reading her notes. "He's too aggressive…Sakaki, think I could give something a try?"

"What?"

"Well, if we gave him a sedative to take the edge off his anger and attitude, the next one stands a chance of living past two days."

"You know how I feel about that."

"Oh come on. He'll be a carcass like the rest of them soon. Might as well do it now," Blackwell pushed her hair back from her cheek. "Besides, the next one is the one that goes to your daughter IF she lives…ah, I seem to have your interest now."

Giovanni grew silent for a moment. "Go on. A minor one."

"Wouldn't risk any other." She went made a few more notes. "He's yours for the rest of the day."

"Have someone put him away."

"Don't want to do it yourself."

"What use is a broken doll?" Came a voice from the doorway.

Blackwell looked up to see Sarah standing there with Jessie behind her. "How did you get in here?" The comment seemed to be aimed more at Jessie than Sarah

"That's what he's thinking." Sarah came in and climbed up on her father's lap. "What good is a broken doll?"

Giovanni gently pushed her away. "On second thought, I'll handle Mewthree myself."

Blackwell watched him leave. "Sorry kid, looks like Dad's trying to avoid you again."

Sarah glared at the woman. "You're fired."

* * *

A day later, the lab door creaked open again, yet this time it was not Giovanni. This time it was Blackwell with a few assistants and Agents armed with Pokeballs. Blackwell stepped inside, pausing before the plasteel cell to observe Mewthree before speaking. "I suppose you're wondering why I'm here in stead of Sakaki."

Mewthree didn't say a word. If she took one more step closer She'd be little chunks of smeared woman across his cage. That little thought gave him much pleasure. His good spirits faded as Blackwell stepped up to a panel on the wall, the one that held the fluids they pumped into him on a daily basis, and injected something in one of the tubes. Mewthree could feel it moving through the tubing along the ceiling and finally into his arm. It burned, a burn like nothing he had ever felt before. Blackwell stood back waiting, watching, analyzing

His head began to swim. He couldn't think. His limbs seemed to have become weighted down and there was a pounding in his ears. It was all Blackwells fault, she did this, why couldn't he think? Where was the Light? Vaguely in the distance he heard the panels of his cell slide upward. Hands came in and tugged on the cuffs, pulling him toward…toward where? Hands, wall, concrete, more doors, a whole lifetimes worth of doors, always opening and closing, the hall that went on forever, the place under the mountain, in the tomb under the mountain. Where was he anyway?

When all had finally stopped, he was in another cell. Concrete floor, drain in the middle, flat gray walls. Observation window, Blackwell and Giovanni stood like cardboard cutouts behind glass. There was another in the room. One who was not afraid, or at least didn't show it, one who stood back with a questioning gaze at this new oddity before her.

His grip on reality slipped. It was like he was sliding off a blood-soaked ledge, scrambling to grab something, anything to keep him grounded but he slipped into nothing. Not darkness, not light, simply nothing.

Once again he surfaced, falling back through the earth and coming out of the other side, falling then rising through oceans, breaking the surface and suddenly able to comprehend again. It was over. She lay quietly in a corner, and he on the other side of the cell. Slowly he stood, the room still spinning under his feet, and approached her. He stood over her, waiting for her to rise again, no matter how long that would be. The door to the lab opened, Sakaki, Blackwell, all these others poured out as if the room had been some kind of clown car where a never-ending flow of agents poured forth. The cell had grown to immense proportions. All of the humans looking back at him, looking at him and his...mate?

They moved too quickly, the whole bunch of them flying forth like dark sparrows. Hands once again shackled, and mind reeling back from the over load of his senses. The long hallway again. Never ending doors, never ending…Cell. Cool air of the cell, tiny pinpoints of fluid seeping into his veins, weighted arms, weighted legs. Bobbing in the ocean. Two lights. Two small points of light in the distance. He could sense her, could feel her confusion in the back of his mind. So heavy, then sleep. Finally sleep.

* * *

Mewthree awoke to a massive headache. The events of the day before a blur in his mind. He had mated again…but this time it was different, so why couldn't he remember? Why was everything so…he felt her again. She was still confused, but warm, and for the moment content. He was aware of her, and she was aware of him. This feeling, this sensation of togetherness. Mewthree had never had a companion before. There had only been Giovanni. All the others were inferior, weaker.

No. The presence in his mind insisted. Not weaker, only different. The presence was a great comfort to him. His loneliness lifted as he explored this new aspect of his life.

Blackwell entered the lab again, and injected the fluid once more into the IV drip on the wall. Mewthree grabbed the edge of sanity and slid, his mind returning to chaos.

* * *

Night. One window left. One single source of light. The others had all been turned off. The steady vibrations of machines coming to him in waves like a pulse. Like blood pounding through his heart, like blood all over the floor, whether from the recent handler or female he couldn't remember. He must have just recently killed something. His hands and feet were stained. Where was Sakaki? Where was his Master? Giovanni would never allow him to get this dirty. Would never allow day-old food to litter the bottom of his cell. He could sense her, the other, just barely. Her presence in the back of his mind like a whisper in a hurricane.

Right now breathing became his prime concern. A pain flowered in his chest. One from his heart. He took in deep breath after deep breath, attempting to set the pain right, to put it back in its place. An electric shock went through him, setting the beat right again. Still only one window…still only…

The scientist stood, collected his files, and turned off the light.

Coldness. Memories. _The other…_

Who was she? Why didn't they just allow him to stand over her until she had recovered? He wanted to see her again. Where was his Master? Why had he been cast aside like a disposed toy?

His body was no longer his. Pain kept coming up in the oddest places. He couldn't move. Why hadn't Giovanni come yet? His Master was supposed to care for him!

Mewthree had no method to keep track of time. Occasionally there was a crack of light when someone would remember to feed him. The rumble of machines, after a while even the tubes in his arms and legs stopped their steady drip of fluid. But she was there, in the back of his mind, a precious memory.

One day he felt everything go. Mewthree now knew that he was dieing. Giovanni had forsaken him. He was no longer the ultimate beauty that stood at Sakaki's side as he traveled the compound, he had become old and frail. It was the day he could no longer sense her. In his final hours, something had awakened inside him, awoken too late. He struggled to stand, his manacled hands reaching for the clear plasteel walls.

(Sakaki…) He called in vain. (Sakaki!…SAKAKI!) His throat made a noise. "Sa…SAKAKI!" Nothing but darkness and glass. His Master was gone. She was gone, and he knew true loneliness. But for the first time, he also knew hate. Hate for the man he had trusted, and hate for the precious jewel that had abandoned him in his time of need. (Revenge….I will have my revenge for this…)

* * *

"I honestly have no idea how he's still alive." Nurse Joy escorted a group of scientists and Pokemon behaviorists into a conference room. "Gym Leader Sabrina of Saffron brought him in about a month ago. He had been here before with a severe head injury, in which part of his brain had been destroyed. What is remarkable, is that aside from the loss of his psychic powers, his mind was fully functional. My cousin warned that any usage of his psychic powers could result in yet more damage, however, Mewtwo took this risk.

"A Mew informed us that Mewtwo sacrificed his powers to save the last of the wild Pokemon, and almost sacrificed his life," she ran her weary gaze over her audience. Solemn sad faces started back at her in disbelief. "I am formally requesting that we use our combined knowledge to save this truly rare and incredible Pokemon. However that task will not be an easy one." Nurse Joy pushed a button on the table. A hologram came to life, slowly spinning and giving a three-dimensional view of what looked to be a brain. Most of it was red with small areas of green flecked here and there. "The green areas are the places that are still intact. The red depicts areas that are either burned or missing altogether,"  
A few gasps came from the scientists. One deep voice rose. "Even if it is a rare Pokemon, it doesn't deserve this."  
Nurse Joy brought her hand up to her chin and looked at the floor. She had tried to put and end to Mewtwos misery. It took a long time for her to put aside all of her training and make the choice. For a week she pondered over the right combination of chemicals that would make him pass with the least amount of suffering, and when she finally had it, it took another week to work up the guts to use it. The memory came back to her with painful clarity. Mewtwo's body spread on a table, the syringe in her hand... right before she was about to put the needle in his arm, his eyes opened. They seemed to beg her, pleading to let him live another day. She had eventually ran from the room and poured the lethal cocktail down the drain and deleted the files she had made for it. She couldn't bring herself to kill something that wanted so much to live.

Nurse Joy looked up from the ground, fighting back tears. "That...That isn't an option."  
"When will be able to see him?" Professor Oak asked from the opposite end of the table.  
"As soon as you have a chance to review this data." Nurse joy spread a few binders and files on the table. "For now, I will leave you to peruse the data," she slowly stepped out of the room.  
_It's been so long..._ She walked up the hall and entered the room containing Mewtwo. He was back in the water set-up. A string of bubbles started up the side of the tank at her arrival. _He hasn't even moved this week, I wonder if he's still alive..._ His face twitched in pain, then relaxed again. "We're trying Two. I could have you soaking in a vat of Superpotion and it wouldn't help." She checked his settings, and then looked up when his hand hit the glass, like a reflex that was left in the nervous system. "We're doing all we can...hang on Two."

* * *

So much confusion, so many questions. He didn't remain conscious for long, or what would pass as consciousness. It hurt too much to see, to think. He wanted to melt, become nothing again, become a part of everything again. Being dragged down into a pool, deep blue surrounding him, getting darker, deeper, no light...black, grey, pain...so much pain...Grey...Blue...

...Surfacing, a room a friend, tears, words he could no longer understand...sinking...

...A lab, the tube. Dr. Fuji...Ai..._Ai...where are you?_ Sinking...

...Familiar sounds, laughing, talking, feelings of joy, someone coming close, a red ball, so bright, his reflection, pain, slipping back again...

...It was a bright open field. Sweet wind on his skin, sweet smells...a voice. _"What are you doing here?"_ He turned, a familiar face. Her eyes...eye...Ai...Ai! _"You're not supposed to be here yet."_ She walked up to him, she was so big. He felt little, she picked him up. She was warm, but he felt cold. _"Your friends miss you."_ He buried his small face in her chest.

"I want to stay with you Ai."

She kissed his little head. _"You're always with me, and I'm with you."_ Slipping...cold...pain...tears. Another face. _Friend?_ She was crying. He felt her pain. Stop. Stop crying. Air...Slipping..Blue...

..._Grass..._ his mind recited. Little plants that sprout up all over the ground, covering the earth in their beauty, stopping the dirt from blowing away, from becoming nothing.

_ Red._ The color of hurt and anger, yet also the color of excitement, the color of passions. A small red dot on the wide expanse of green, both things canceling each other out. Green being calm and comforting, and red putting a touch of chaos in it all.

_ Grass...Red..._ His eyes opened wider, he forced himself to focus, forced himself past the pain, forced himself to think. _Red...Red_ Past the pain, past the green, focus on the anger, focus on the passion, focus on the love...it came to him. _Rose._ A single flower in the garden of grass, a Rose nodding softly in the air. _Rose._ Pain.

Slipping...

* * *

"Sabrina?" Bill whispered. Sabrina was sitting on a stone wall in her garden, looking at Mewtwo. "Love?"

She was silent, like stone, just staring. Looking at the Pokemon sitting in the grass, his face blank. She used the heel of her hand to wipe away tears.

"Oh my sweet." Bill sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and did his best to comfort her.

She seemed not to notice his presence. She finally ripped her gaze away from Mewtwo and looked at the ground. "I'm tired of crying."

Bill remained silent. Two hadn't moved since they brought him home from the Center. His condition had been stabilized, but his expression was constantly blank. He seemed to look at nothing, said nothing, ate nothing, did nothing. "It's been hard." He said without thinking.

"Five months Bill. He's been like this for five months."

"All he needs is time Sabrina."

"Time we don't have!" she shouted suddenly. "There are no wild Pokemon left! As a master, a Gym Leader, and Trainer, I feel ashamed! Ashamed that the rarest Pokemon in the world is a man-made creation, ashamed that the same man could heartlessly try to kill Two! Ashamed that my best friend has ended up a vegetable because of my carelessness!" She stood up, pulling away from Bills arms. "I feel responsible. Responsible for the whole damn race and how we have single-handedly managed to destroy others." She walked over to Mewtwo, then folded her arms. "We can't give him that care he needs. I want to take him to Professor Oaks. He offered to take care of him, and is more qualified than we are." She gritted her teeth, determined not to cry again.

_ No..._ Surfacing.

"Sabrina, you can't just pass him off on someone else like that! He needs you!" Bill stood up.

_ I do need her._

"Professor Oak is the best choice. He may need me, but what am I supposed to do if his eyes just roll up in the back of his head and his heart stops beating like it did two months ago? What am I supposed to do?" Gritting her teeth just wasn't working. Sabrina bit her tongue.

"And what will Professor Oak do? Pallet doesn't even have a Pokemon center." Bill walked over and unfolded her arms. "Calm down."

"I've been going grey over this. A headache started five months ago and hasn't stopped."

"And you want kids." Bill gently held her.

"Kids talk back. Kids let you know what is going on." Sabrina tried to remain calm.

_ Friend..._

"Two does as well, but you just need to learn how to listen." He rubbed the small of her back to comfort her.

"How do I listen then?" She leaned into him, letting all her anger leave her. She felt suddenly very tired.

_ Pain_

"Like now. Look at his eyes. He may not be able to show it, but he is aware, he knows what is going on. Two has a gift, a human would be dead, as would any other Pokemon, but somehow he is still alive." He watched Mewtwo over Sabrina's shoulder. "Do you know what keeps me from feeling hopeless about Two?"

"What?"

Bill smiled shyly. "I think about his children."

Sabrina backed slowly away. "I do believe you've lost it hon."

"I'm serious, just wait. He'll have so many kids he won't be able to count them all." He looked into Sabrina's eyes. "It will just take time."

Mewtwo watched silently as Bill put his arm around Sabrina's waist and led her back into the house.

Sinking...Surfacing...

_ I won't go silently back!_ He fought it, focused on the rose. _I will not go back easily, I need to be aware...The rose, stay focused on the rose..._

Sabrina turned around and looked back as Mewtwo's arm lifted. "Bill! Look!" Bill turned and gasped.

Mewtwo wore an expression of concentration, his arm lifted, as if it was some heavy weight. _The rose..._ his hand reached, and fell short. He leaned forward. _I will..._ His hand closed around the red object. Softness under his fingertips. Beauty.

Mewtwo leaned back, the rose broke from it's stalk. He sat back on his legs and brought the rose to his face, slowly inhaling the sweet scent. _I will learn again, I will know again, I will live again...I WILL BE._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Found

Sounds. Each a cutting shard of glass, some containing meaning, some not. Mewtwo now knew the basics. Yes and no, thank you and please. These sounds he understood, he tried to mimic them, but nothing came. Frustration, like sparks coming from a cut power cable, every emotion came with a new mental visual. Sounds, symbols and time.

Winter had come and soon after, spring. The slow progression of days spent in frustration paid off little by little. Bill and Sabrina had made a promise to each other. They would not be married until Mewtwo had fully recovered. They took turns looking after him or attempting to jog his memories. Mewtwo did his best to respond and interact. It hurt to think, but he was aware. Every moment etched into his mind. His body was slow to react, but his mind and attention span held true.

One activity that Bill and Sabrina kept to faithfully, was training. Physical activity seemed to help his recovery, and Mewtwos eyes became just a little brighter when he was at the end of a successful day. They moved into Bills lighthouse to take advantage of the more open spaces, and mornings were reserved for group runs along the cliffs. Bill had hung up a hammock for Mewtwo in the nearby apple orchard, and it quickly became one of the Pokemons favorite places.

After a morning run in late spring, they received a letter by carrier Pidgey from Professor Oak stating that he had been working with a lab nearby on the effects of traumatic injuries in psychic Pokemon. They had a breakthrough in both Pokemon and human trials, and would like the chance to test out the new technology on Mewtwo. Sabrina wrote a response that they would meet him later that week.

As Mewtwo watched the Pidgey take to the air, he felt hope, and also a little guilt. _I remember almost everything now. My powers still aren't working, I can expect that. All I can say is Mewtwo. That will change. I will write again, I will speak again, I will read again. Sabrina and Bill have been so patient with me, how can I ever repay them?_

He retreated to the orchard and settled in his hammock._ It feels good to be somewhat normal again._

* * *

"His recovery has been remarkable. Even though all of his brain still hasn't regenerated, he is showing his normal intelligence." Professor Oak looked over a few scans using the equipment in his personal lab. "Has he been talking?"

"No, but his training has been coming along great!" Sabrina said proudly.

"Almost back to normal." Bill piped in.

Mewtwo walked around the lab, impressed by the array of equipment, and delighted that he could remember what each piece of machinery was for and how it worked.

"He certainly is a far cry from when I saw him in the tank." Professor Oak dropped the scans back into a file. "Put on a little weight has he?"

"Its all muscle." Sabrina patted Mewtwo's shoulder confidently. "Two's going to the League finals."

"The finals? Setting the bar a little high aren't we?" Oak asked. "He's only just started to recover his abilities."

"In that case, we have something to show you." Bill smiled.

* * *

"Come on! Faster!"

"Two! Rocket punch!" Sabrina shouted.

Mewtwo increased his stride, the Gym floor slipped underneath him, almost giving the illusion that he was floating. He balled up a fist, making mass of nearly solid bone. Using the inertia from his run he delivered a powerful punch to his opponent.

"Blas!" the Pokemon stumbled backward.

"Blastoise! Water Cannon!" Professor Oak commanded.

"Agilty!" Sabrina countered.

_ I won't mess up this time!_ Mewtwo jumped and came down, dodging the water blast that would have sent him into the bushes.

"Mewtwo! Double time!" Bill shouted beside Sabrina.

_ I swear they are making some of these up._ The cannons fired, and Mewtwo jumped before the blast could hit him. He came down between the two jets of water on the Pokemon's shoulders. He then brought his balled up fist down on the blue nose. He jumped again, putting full force into his legs knocking the Blastoise backward.

"Mewtwo! Return!"

Mewtwo flipped once in the air, and landed in front of Sabrina and Bill.

"And I declare Mewtwo the winner!" Professor Oak shouted from the sidelines of his outdoor Gym. He was sitting at a table with a cup of hot tea. "I have to say that I am impressed. Is he up for another match?"

"How do you feel Two?" Sabrina asked.

Mewtwo turned and gave a thumbs up.

Sabrina smiled. "He's good to go."

"Well then," Professor Oak set down his cup. "Gary can take my place. If my Pokemon weren't enough of a challenge, maybe Gary will have a better chance." He held out a towel to his Blastoise as it returned.

"Thanks Grandpa. I've been waiting for a rematch with you Mewtwo," Gary stepped up to the opposing trainers box marked on the gym floor.

Mewtwo stood ready, resting lightly on the balls of his feet.

"I'm glad you're ready," he chose a Pokeball. "Arcanine! Go!"

"Get him Two!" Sabrina winked.

"Arcanine! Fire blast!"

"Two! Agility!"

_ She has no idea how hard this move is..._ Mewtwo jumped and landed on all fours. He could feel the intense heat of the blast graze his back.

"Two! Take down!" Bill shouted.

Mewtwo started hopping, using each thrust of his legs to build more power into his strike. His hand, elbow and shoulder connected with Arcanine's side in successive order. One more push with his legs sent Arcanine tumbling off the Gym floor.

"Arcanine, great job, better luck next time," Gary called his Pokemon back. "Wow, did Mewtwo get stronger?"

"In this case, I believe it's the trainers." Professor Oak finished his tea."Good Job Mewtwo!"

"Two?" Bill looked to the sidelines, then smiled. "Are you alright?"  
Mewtwo was bent over with his hands resting on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"I want to give it another try Grandpa." Gary said pulling a ball out and putting Arcanine back inside.

"If Two is up to it." Sabrina turned. "Two?"

Mewtwo held up a finger in the iconic "one-minute" gesture. He couldn't speak yet, but at least Sabrina got the gist of what he was trying to say.

Sabrina waited until he caught his breath. This would be the last battle of the day, she knew he was having fun, but could recognise the signs from years of working with Pokemon. "Ready?" she asked finally.

Mewtwo took a place by the center circle.

"Lets go then!"

"You won't defeat this one!" Gary held up a ball. "Charizard! Go!"

"The bigger they are the harder they fall!" Bill yelled.

"Charizard! Tackle!"

_ Wait, I know this Charizard ..._ Mewtwo suddenly remembered back to New Island. That kid, Ash, and a rather powerful Charizard, this Charizard.

"Grrrrr..." The beast was smiling. It remembered too.

_ Oh crap._

"Charizard! I said tackle!" Gary shouted.

Sabrina could see Mewtwo tense up. Something wasn't right.

Charizard let loose with a flame thrower attack instead. Mewtwo jumped out of the way, but not in time enough. The flame rushed over his leg, blackening his fur and creating a light burn.

"Ouch," Sabrina watched as Mewtwo try to recover his footing.

Then the Charizard tackled. Mewtwo was knocked the hard dirt floor and went rolling from the impact.

"Are you alright Two?" Bill called.

_ I am getting my ass kicked..._ Mewtwo stood up.

"Let the match go on! Unless you think you can't handle it...Two." Gary smirked. "You can't win all the time."

Mewtwo pulled himself to his feet. _Yes I can._ He studied the Charizard, determined to at least go down fighting.

"grrrrrrr..."

Mewtwo took a stance. _Come on ill-bred brat..._

Charizard bugled a challenge. Mewtwo charged, then quickly dove to the side to dodge a fire ball.

Bill joined Sabrina. "Get him Two! You can do it!"

Mewtwo rushed at the Charizard again, they locked hands. Mewtwo felt his hands become swallowed in Charizards like a tiny bunch of grapes. Charizard smiled fiendishly. _He's strong, but I won't be defeated, I can't afford defeat!_

"Grrrrr..." Charizard started pushing, suddenly turning the match from one of skill into one of brute strength. Mewtwo pushed back. The Charizard was strong in his arms, but not so much in his legs. Mewtwo braced his shoulder against Charizard's chest, then started pushing with his legs. Charizard tried to push back, but was thrown off-balance and over powered.

"Rrroooaaarrrr!" He shouted and snorted in frustration.

_Not this time._ Mewtwo stopped pushing and jumped, reversing his grip with the intention of kicking the Charizard in the chest.

"Charizard! Flame Thrower!" Gary shouted.

_ Oh crap..._ Mewtwo kicked weakly, leaving his body wide open. Sudden hot searing pain ran up his torso. He turned his head at the last moment, avoiding a point-blank blast to his face.

"Two?" Sabrina was about to run on the field. Bill stopped her. Mewtwo let go and was repelled backward by the fiery blast. He skidded across the floor, stopping himself just shy of the foul-line. "Are you alright?" She ran over to him after shaking Bills hands from her.

_ That's it._ Mewtwo struggled to his feet. _I am getting very tired of this. It's not that the thing isn't powerful, he just hasn't had any decent training. _Gary was at least being mature in trying to chose attacks that took his injuries into consideration. The Charizard had no such concerns.

"And thats a match." Professor Oak said as he stepped up beside Gary.

"I agree." Sabrina nodded. "Come on Two."

_ Indeed. _ Mewtwo felt his adrenaline rush fade away to be replaced by the burning sensation all over his body.

"Sorry Gramps." Gary crossed the field to shake Sabrina's hand. "Its been a while since Charizard had a worthy opponent."

"I'll agree that he's strong." Sabrina pulled a few jars of Burn Heal from her purse. "Come on Two."

Professor Oak nodded in agreement. "Both of these knuckleheads would gladly fight each other to the death. That's not very sportsmanlike. Battles are as much about the welfare of the Pokemon as their strength," he directed this last comment to Charizard. "Discipline and restraint are not weaknesses. You would do well to meditate on that."

The Charizard puffed out a blast of smoke, then sheepishly returned to the sidelines.

"Are you okay Two?" Bill asked.

"He seems all right." Sabrina looked him over. "A few burns. Nothing too bad. He'll be fine."

Mewtwo sat down on a bench letting Sabrina rub the creme all over his shoulders. _That feels good. Professor Oak made a good point. Sometimes its not about strength. Even so, I have a long way to go before I'm ready for the finals._

"If Mewtwo is up to it, I just received a call from my associate at his lab. We can leave in the hour." Professor Oak said.

Mewtwo glanced between the three of them, then nodded. He had to admit that he was curious to see what this mysterious lab had come up with.

* * *

And Mewtwo didn't like it. Sabrina tried to calm him, but there were too many humans in too many white coats with too little light, much too far away from civilization to comfort him. Too many scans taken, too many neutral faces and instruments sizing up his body and proportions.

Gary had driven them here; a lab deep in the woods outside Viridian City. There were many humans and Pokemon of all types. As soon as Mewtwo stepped in the door, the entire facility came alive with activity. It seemed that everyone here had a theory and wanted to take this opportunity to gather as much data as possible. Mewtwo tried to relax, tried to calm himself by flipping through magazines or chatting with the other Pokemon present. It wasn't working.

"It'll be over soon." Sabrina tried to comfort him. Mewtwo felt it wouldn't be soon enough. He turned in his chair as a door to the small examination room opened. Professor Oak entered, followed by whom he took to be Oaks contact.

"Hello Mewtwo," Oak smiled. Despite everything, Oak had a warm smile. "This is my associate, Professor Sumac. He will be the one leading the observation today."

Professor Sumac extended his hand in greeting. Of any of the staff here, he seemed the most excited. "Its a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Oak has told me many things about you and I've read all the files. I hope today will produce results that everyone can benefit from."

"Professor Sumac is a leader in the neural sciences. You are in good hands Mewtwo." Oak lead Mewtwo, Sabrina and Bill in to the main observation lab, a large round room with computer terminals and all manner of scanning equipment pushed to the walls. Many scientists sat at various stations, either going over data or preparing the equipment for the experiments to come. In the center of the room was a slightly raised dais. Resting on the dais was a stand with a helmet. The helmet had numerous cables plugged into sockets all over its surface with no easily discernible patten or purpose. The cables extended toward the many stations and terminals, like tree roots in search of water.

Professor Sumac led Mewtwo to the dais, then lifted the helmet. They had even cut out two holes for his ears. With one last glance back at Sabrina, Mewtwo accepted the helmet and slipped it on. Sumac then circled him, checking the smaller nodes and cables to ensure everything was in place. He then picked up a small sock-like cuff, and slipped it over Mewtwos second neck, and began affixing smaller cables and plugs to it. Mewtwo felt a shiver go down his spine and Sabrina suppressed a giggle.

"And we are ready to begin," Professor Sumac stepped back. " If you would please remain on the platform Mewtwo. I will give you instructions as needed."

Mewtwo stood passively in the center of the room. The cables that hung off his head scraped and hit the floor with small metallic clicks. They vaguely reminded him of the power cables on the restraining armor he had been imprisoned in so long ago. A few scientists picked up the few cables that remained unplugged until now. A few assistants brought in bales of cinder blocks wrapped in steel bands. Others set a boxes of wood in a corner. Props for the testing to come.

Sabrina sat down next to Bill in a small viewing booth. She kept a watchful eye on Mewtwo, knowing how tense he became around strangers, especially in an environment like this one.

Mewtwo side-glanced Sabrina and Bill in the booth. Professor Oak stood next to Professor Sumac. Almost imperceptibly, a low pitched hum started in the Pokemon's ears. _I hate this..._

Sabrina gasped and held her head. _Two?...I heard you!_ She smiled, then grabbed Bills arm excitedly.

_ Its on already? I need to be careful._

_ Why? It's so good to talk to you again!_

"We can all hear you Mewtwo. The helmet is designed to channel your psychic energy past the damaged and still healing areas of your brain," Professor Sumac explained. "Our readings are showing that your vitals are stable. Are you in any pain?"

_None. _Mewtwo stated. He looked around the room to see if anyone reacted to his mental voice, but they were occupied with their data gathering.

"If you would like to try something else, please go on. Can you levitate?"

_ It's been a while._ He looked around.

_ You can do it Two._ Sabrina smiled.

He looked at the ground. Levitate. He could remember what that was like. His whole body became light, and he would be free. Even gravity had no control over him then. Nothing was happening. _I can't Sabrina. _

_ Like you said, its been a while. Just try._

Mewtwo looked around at the huge room, then down at his hands. His heart was hammering. _I don't like this, I want out, I want... I want..._ He closed his eyes, picturing a brilliant blue sky dotted with white clouds. _I want to fly._

_ Whatever you're doing, keep it up_. Sabrina commented.

Mewtwo opened his eyes. He was levitating, even though the cables kept him from going very far. Something hit his hand. _What..._ He examined the back of his hand. Something rolled down his cheek. _I'm crying? I haven't cried since..._

"Professors, look at these readings."

Sumac and Oak walked over to the terminal. "These numbers are off the scale!" Sumac exclaimed.

"Any area in particular?" Oak asked.

"This is amazing, it seems his psychic abilities are directly tied to his emotional state. Makes sense in a way."

"Interesting. The stronger the emotion, the greater his power."

Sabrina studied the scientists at their terminals. Down the line was a man in glasses furiously typing. "Who is he?"

Mewtwo was silent.

"Mewtwo," Professor Sumac called. "Do you wish to continue?"

Again silence. He hung in the air like a puppet.

"Mewtwo?" Sumac asked again.

_AAARRRGGGHHHHH!_ Mewtwo suddenly let go. Black hollow energy balls shot from his palms and into the stands of cinder block and brick. The blocks exploded sending pieces of brick and steel shrapnel flying.

"Two?" Sabrina dodged a piece of rock. "What are you doing? Stop it!" She glared at Sumac. "Are you causing this?"

"No, the system wasn't designed to aggravate the user," Professor Sumac ducked behind a bank of computers as the wooden crate exploded into shrapnel.

"And shoot another!" shouted a new voice.

Sabrina looked up at the assistant who had been typing. He was standing now, the keyboard at rest and some kind of device in his palm. Mewtwo lifted his arm mechanically, another black energy ball formed in his palm.

"Don't come any closer or he will shoot," the assistant stood up and put the device in his pocket.

"Who are you?" Bill shouted.

_ SABRINA! _Mewtwo called.

_ Two! Stop this! _

_ I can't! I'm not controlling me! _

_ What?_

_ It's like...it feels like...it feels like my brain was hacked!_

Bill looked at Sabrina. "Did I hear that right?"

"I don't know..." She fixed her cold gaze on the assistant. Her eyes began to flicker with her own psychic power as she left the viewing booth "You better put that device down kid, you're messing with forces that you can't begin to comprehend."

"Oh this is going to be fun! Mewtwo fighting his trainer, I do wonder who will win?" the assistant cackled. "This Pokemon is under my complete control. I've been waiting a long time for this!"

Sabrina took one step forward and the debris around her began to lift from the ground. She knew more about Mewtwos abilities than anyone and didn't relish the idea of fighting him. _Bill,_ she said calmly.

"Love?" he held his head, looking in her direction.

_ Get the ball._

Bill reluctantly pulled the master ball out of his pack. "I'm sorry Two.."

_ It's all right._ Mewtwo responded weakly.

_ I'm going to immobilize that guy, and when I do, throw the ball. _Sabrina instructed.

"Throw anything at me, and I'll make Mewtwo use psychic."

"It's too soon for that!" Professor Oak shouted. "You'll kill him!"

"Cool it gramps," he pulled a gun out of his lab coat. "You missy. Put the rocks down, you," he pointed the gun at Bill. "Get back. The Boss gave me orders to get him back, and that's what I'm doing."

Professor Oak sighed heavily, seemingly more annoyed than afraid. "So this is what its all about? Greed?"

"I get paid to do what I love gramps. Better than you do."

Professor Oak pulled a pokeball from his pocket.

"What did I tell you? Use anything on me and everyone dies. Mewtwo is at my complete disposal."

Oak dropped the pokeball on the computer. "Porygon! Disable that system." The ball landed, then opened to reveal nothing.

Mewtwo felt the helmet buzz as the Pokemon entered the computer system. _Are you here to help me?_

** Yeah, a little Mew told me to keep an eye on you.**

Sabrina stood firm. Not putting the debris down, and not attacking. Bill felt his heart hammer in his chest. It was a standoff, everyone waited for someone else to make the first move.

Mewtwo felt the system fail, and he began to fall to the ground. Both Sabrina and the undercover agent reacted at the same time. The gun fired, Sabrina threw the debris at the agent, and Bill hurled the Masterball. Professor Oak was already moving to cover Sabrina before she could react. She hesitated for a moment as the Professors arm jerked suddenly, sending a light spray of blood into the air. Bill was able to capture Mewtwo and ran to catch the ball before it could hit the floor. At that time a chunk of cinder block that Sabrina had thrown reached the undercover Team Rocket agent, striking him soundly against the side of his head.

Bill dove for the Master Ball as it fell, his outstretched fingers only succeeded in knocking the ball away and toward the agent. The Master Ball bounced once, twice, and on the third impact, opened, spilling Mewtwo on the floor. The agent dropped to his knees, holding his head where the cinder block had hit. Mewtwo reacted quickly, knocking the gun from the agents hand and closing the other around the mans throat. He drew his opposite arm back, readying for a punch, but hesitated.

It would be satisfying to beat this man into a pulp. It would make some small part of him feel justified, vindicated. Yet the weight of those actions stayed his hand. It was just a game to Giovanni. Just a game. He was willing to not only sacrifice Pokemon lives, but now human as well. All to satisfy his desire for a _game_. The thought sickened Mewtwo. He was trying to piece his life back together from a horrible injury for the sake of a damn game.

Without that game, he never would have been created.

Mewtwo instead grabbed the agent by his collar, restraining him until the other humans in the room could collect themselves. He backed away and let them handle it. Professor Oak was bleeding from a bullet wound and they were far away from any hospital.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" Bill called out to Professor Sumac.

"In the back office, I'll go get it," Sumac paused when he turned to find Mewtwo blocking his path. "Mewtwo, are you injured?"

Mewtwo shook his head, then pointed to the helmet laying on the floor. Sabrina understood what he meant. "Thats right! Professor Sumac, start up the machine again! Mewtwo has a recover ability. It accelerates the healing process, he might be able to use it for Professor Oak."

Mewtwo put the helmet back on. This time not feeling as anxious knowing that Porygon was still in the system watching for any more malicious attacks. Sumac started the system again and true to his profession, also kept the data scanners going. Mewtwo reached for Professor Oak, his hand held steady an inch over the wound.

Blue light enveloped Mewtwo's hand and leapt to Oaks arm like ethereal flame. Oak watched in stunned silence as the wound closed, leaving only a small scar and bloodstains on his shirt and lab coat. Mewtwo lowered his hand and pulled the helmet off.

Despite the unforeseen delay, the testing was a success.

* * *

"Are you okay Professor Oak?" Sabrina asked softly.

"Just fine and dandy." Porfessor Oak fixed the sling on his arm. They had arrived at Oaks home in Pallet several hours ago. Oak visited a hospital for a check-up, only to discover that aside from some soreness, he was completely healed.

"You really shouldn't have taken that bullet for me."

"You're the one that knocked that crazy nut out. How's Mewtwo?"

"Doing well, sleeping like a rock." Sabrina sighed.

"The three of you are welcome to stay in the guest house until you must leave for home." Oak said with a smile.

"Oh we couldn't,"

"I insist. We made great progress today, and while Professor Sumac is deeply ashamed about what happened, he has informed our colleagues that Team Rocket is sending out undercover agents. This will hopefully help prevent anything like this from happening again to someone less prepared," he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You and Bill have done a remarkable job in caring for Mewtwo. With just a little information, and a lot of determination, we have managed to redefine the psychic abilities of Pokemon. And we, the Pokemon community, have you and Bill to thank."

Sabrina hadn't been expecting such glowing praise from Professor Oak. "Thank you."

"Now go rest. Your family has a long trip tomorrow." Oak bid her goodnight and headed for his own home.

Sabrina told Bill about the guest house, and he went ahead of them to drop off their luggage and prepare the rooms. Sabrina then gently woke Mewtwo and walked with him through the different pastures and paddocks that contained Oaks Pokemon. She missed the quiet moments like this. When she wasn't pulling her hair out from worry or so stressed she couldn't sleep. The days events had been scary to deal with, but they had survived and alerted the other Pokemon researchers in the process.

Mewtwo walked alongside her, his tail swaying gently, acting as a counter-balance to his stride. He could sense that Sabrina had something on her mind, but just couldn't figure out how to say it. He didn't want to make her feel any more upset, so for the moment he kept quiet and just enjoyed the fresh air.

"Two?" Sabrina finally whispered, almost as if afraid the nearby trees would hear. "I need your help."

Mewtwo glanced at her, his ears tilting her way to give her a sign that he was listening.

"I don't know how to say it, and I really don't know how to tell Bill. Lately my powers have been getting weaker and I haven't been able to keep anything down," She sighed again. "I think...I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant."

Mewtwo was hit with two conflicting emotions at once. He was happy, delighted, but also now worried. Their little family was about to get bigger. It would no longer be just the three of them, it would now be the three of them plus one human-in-training. That also meant that it would be best if Sabrina took it easy, at least until he and Bill had a chance to figure out what all of this would mean in the long run. Instead of letting these concerns show, he reached out and hugged Sabrina tightly, letting her know in his own way that he was there to support her.

Sabrina hugged him back, then felt him take her hand in his paw. He gestured to the engagement ring that Bill had given her. "Now." He whispered. It took all the concentration he had to form words, but the machine earlier had helped to jog his muscle memory.

"Now? You mean get married now? But we promised not until you went to the finals."

Mewtwo shook his head. "No. More...important." he squeezed her hand, then let go. He smiled and said slowly. "Bill asked me...to be...Best Man."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Rise

Mewtwos hammock rocked softly in the breeze, fresh salty sea air mixed with the incoming winds made the air crisp and clean as it blew through the apple orchard near Bill's light house. The wind left the trees and caressed the grass, making it rustle in soft waves. Mewtwo stretched, allowing his toes to seek the far edge of the hammock, and the wind to blow through his fur. He was determined to enjoy a much deserved day off. For the past two months Oak, Sabrina and Bill ran him ragged with training and research work.

In one hand he held a mostly eaten apple, and with eyes closed listening to the wind, the whole world ceased to exist. The Pokemon lazily threw the apple core away, and picked another off the nearest branch. Mewtwo took a bite, feeling the warm clean juice run over his tongue and down his throat, even the rind was sweet and sun-warmed.

Bill and Sabrina had been married yesterday on the nearby cliffs, and held their reception in the orchard. Sabrina had been a vision, dressed in light green, and Bill in dark blue, like a pair of sea nymphs on the edge of the ocean. Through the night they had changed into more casual wear for the reception, and the party had lasted until well after the sun had set. A few balloons and streamers still fluttered around the property, being made fair game by the other Pokemon out to enjoy a good day. Sabrina's Bulbasaur lounged in the sun, while her Kadabra enjoyed practicing his skills on a random balloon. Today was a day of rest.

With training, a few of Mewtwos skills had returned, the important ones at least. He could fly for small amounts of time, and levitate objects. Even more importantly, he could use Recover again for small cuts and bruises. Sabrina had gone back to spoon bending contests around the kitchen table. The contest consisted of spilling a bunch of spoons on the table and mentally fighting over them. The one who had the biggest pile of bent spoons, won. The contest had been between himself, Sabrina, Kadabra, Haunter, and Bill. Bill didn't do much, but surprised Sabrina when he picked a spoon up and bent it just by looking at it. He complained of a headache afterward, but Mewtwo had the suspicion that Kadabra or Haunter had something to do with it.

Games like that were good. Everyday a new skill returned. For attacks he had recently regained Barrier and Swift, plus his other fighting skills. Life was getting back to normal. Even those creepy dreams of the tomb under the mountain had stopped.

"Hello?" Footsteps trudged up the hill to the orchard. "Hello?"

_ And there goes my attempts at resting._ Mewtwo cracked an eye open and finished off the apple.

"Is someone there?"

_ Professor Oak..._ Mewtwo rolled over and looked up though the tree branches at the blue sky. seemingly calling and mocking him at the same time. Days like this were meant for flying, and his patience with the Professor was wearing thin after the last few rounds of testing.

"Two, is that you up there?"

_ I better go, or the fool might break his arm climbing the hill._ Mewtwo rolled out of the hammock, his feet hit the ground with a heavy thud.

"Ah, I thought so." Professor Oak waved aside any attempts from the Pokemon to help him up, then finished the climb and sat to catch his breath on a fallen apple tree. "A nice relaxing perch you have here. Are Bill and Sabrina busy?"

"It's their Honey Moon. You honestly want my answer?" Mewtwo couldn't help but tease the man.

"Heh he..No...Can we go to the light house? I have something important for you," he made no effort to rise, instead taking a moment to enjoy the view and fresh air. "I never stopped to see how nice Bill has it here."

Mewtwo waited for the Professor to recover at his own pace, then started down the hill with him toward the light house. He could smell coffee brewing and the sounds of breakfast being made. They made small talk as they waded through tall grasses, each of them moving slowly in case they scared up some wild Pokemon. Mewtwo already knew there were none to be found here, even the flocks of Pidgey and Zubat that usually roosted in the light house tower seemed to had vanished.

Mewtwo announced their guest as they entered through the front door, and escorted him to the kitchen where Sabrina stood at the stove wearing casual clothing and Bill was at the coffee pot, pouring a round for everyone.

"First off, my congratulations to the newlyweds," Professor Oak set his briefcase on a nearby bench, opened it, and pulled out a small gift and card.

"You didn't have to Professor!" Sabrina sat at the table. Bill set her coffee down in front of her, along with a kiss. "I must admit I was a little worried when I heard you wouldn't make it for the ceremony."

"And I feel horrible for it," Oak watched as Mewtwo sat down with his cup of coffee. "But I have great news for all three of you. First, for Two," He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a strange device. "Here, we finally have a working prototype. Try it on Two."

"Looks like something out of a cartoon." Sabrina examined it, then passed it Mewtwo. The device resembled clumsy stereo headphones commonly used in recording studios, but instead of the bulbous speakers on the ears, the sides were flat and complimented the curve of the skull. "How is it used?"

"Two? If I may?" Professor Oak stood up from his chair and walked over to Mewtwo. He lifted the headset from the Pokemon's paws, then fit it around the back of his head, the flat sides resting against his temples. "We designed it for your fingers. The large button over the right temple activates it, and the dial on the left side adjusts the power level," Oak explained.

Mewtwo put it on. It felt comfortable, as if it wasn't there. He pushed the right button. His vision briefly blurred, then returned to normal. _I don't feel any different,_

Professor Oak, Sabrina, and Bill suddenly put their hands over their ears.

"Turn it down a bit," Oak gestured to the dial on the side.

_ Huh? This one?_

"Ow..." Sabrina leaned over and turned the dial down. "There, now try."

_ Better?_ Mewtwo asked.

"Much." Oak rubbed his temples and sat back down. "Please try to keep a journal of usage, and discontinue use if you begin to feel uncomfortable or disoriented."

"What exactly does it do?" Bill asked.

"The headset magnifies psychic powers and aids them. It helps the electric current in the brain channel over the damaged areas to prevent self-injury. It also has a suppression option for times when using psychic abilities might not be wise. However I don't suggest the suppression switch until Mewtwo is sure of his recovery."

"Amazing, thanks Professor Oak." Sabrina watched Mewtwo telekentically play with pieces of fruit. He suddenly let them fall, then went to the screen door and pushed it open.

"Where are you going?"

Mewtwo looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Test Drive."

* * *

"Mew?" Mew woke up and yawned. He sensed a disturbance, something that hadn't been there moments ago. The breeze was still strong, and the woods were still quiet, what had awoken him?

_ Mew._ Mewtwo called, then felt a chuckle come on when a pink bolt shot from a tree in front of him and slam into his chest.

** "Man oh man I missed you!"**

_ Missed you too._

**"I thought you were a goner! You looked like crap last I saw you." **

_ I know, Its been a long time._

** "Good, you're flying again, now you can help me save them."**

_ I can't help you right now._ Mewtwo placed Mew back on a tree branch.

** "Huh?"** He blinked as if surprised. **"Still not better?"**

_ There are still a lot of things I need to relearn. I don't think I will be much use to you against these kind of odds. Sabrina and Bill have a child on the way. I want to be there to protect them. _

**"Aw man, Two. Don't you get it? I need your help. You're like our ace in the hole. They got Moltres and Articuno the other night."** Mew followed Mewtwo through the trees.

_ I don't want to pull Bill and Sabrina any further into this conflict._ Mewtwo insisted. _You will need to find another champion. I can't do it. I've been trying, and been on deaths door ever since._

Mew floated back a little. **"Alright, so take a little break. So do what you have to. I know you won't let us down."**

_ Mew, no._ Mewtwo shook his head. _Please. I'm not fighting anymore, unless its in a Gym._

** "You know, its gonna suck, but I will change your mind big guy. I'm comin' with ya. And I will pester, and hound you, and piss you off until you come to your senses,"** He floated after Mewtwo, matching him turn for turn through the trees. Mewtwo had to allow the little pink fur ball to follow him, not that he was in any condition to fight back in the first place. Mew pulled even with him.**"Hey, what's this?"** Mew pulled the headset off Mewtwo's head.

_ Hey!_ Mewtwo immediately lost altitude and fell, slamming into a tree.

**"Uh..."** Mew floated over and sheepishly gave the headset back. **"Oops..."**

* * *

"Oh he's such a cute little thing!" Sabrina cooed as she scratched behind Mew's ears.

"You should feel fortunate to have both of the Mews in you home. I would feel truly blessed." Professor Oak said with a smile after finishing off his last cup of coffee.

"Meeeww..." Mew sighed contently, then curled up in Sabrina's lap.

_ You're starting to like him more than me._ Mewtwo thought mumbled.

"Stop getting jealous Two. It's a rare that any body gets to observe Mew this closely." Bill sat across the table with a sketch pad and about five pencils. One he was drawing with, one he had clenched between his teeth, and the others he alternated erasers to smooth and fix the drawing. "This will be a nice picture when I'm done."

Mewtwo sighed and picked up his plate again. He had arrived just as Bill had finished making pancakes. _You're enjoying this too much_ He sent to Mew.

Mew lifted his head and stuck his tongue out, then laid back down. **"First I take your woman, and then you fight for me. She has no defense against the power of 'cute'."**

_ Brat._ Mewtwo stabbed his pancake. _Thank you Bill._

Bill was too lost in his drawing to respond. Sabrina smirked. "I understood him plainly, I belong to Bill sweetie," She looked down at Mew and continued smoothing his fur. "Are you hungry?"

"Mew."

"You sure?"

"Mew."

"Oh, I almost forgot the most important reason I came here today." Oak started up. "The finals at Indigo Plateau."

"We're still a long way from being ready." Sabrina sighted. "Might even be a few more years before we can even consider competing."

"Well I have good news for you then." Professor Oak pulled out a few colorful folders from his briefcase. "I have been speaking to the League Council about my recent work with Mewtwo, and they think it would be wonderful if the three of you came to the games this year as guests of honor. Very few people have seen Mewtwo before, and his recovery is quite remarkable and inspiring. They have even offered to arrange for a few battles to showcase his talents."

"Huh...what do you think Two?" Sabrina asked.

_I'm not sure. I would like to go, and having a chance to battle again, especially near peak condition is a welcome thought, but who wants to see a crippled Pokemon take the field?_

"You're not crippled. And even now you're stronger than most Pokemon you would find at the games," Sabrina countered.

"Haunt Haunt!"

"It wasn't that funny Haunter." Bill flipped one of the many pencils from his hand and erased a stray line. "Don't move Mew, I'm almost done."

Sabrina glanced down at the snoozing bundle in her arms. "I don't think you need to worry about that. Its all up to you if you want to go Two."

"Just let me know within the week and I can arrange your passes and hotel rooms," Oak set a brochure in the middle of the table.

Mewtwo picked it up and studied it. It had been a goal of theirs for over a year. All of the humiliation, the training, every day constantly reaching for this one event. He had given up on obtaining it, content to slip into the role of family Pokemon. Yet now here it was, offered to them, and with the headset he would be almost back to his peak condition. _I will need some time to think on it._

* * *

The night sky was so immense, so beautiful. It wasn't dark like the sky as seen from town, it was a deep shade of blue with small pin points of light, numerous and gorgeous-and with Mew darting between the few silver clouds, it made it seem even more magical. The little fart meant it when he said he wasn't giving up on Mewtwo.

"Two," Sabrina came the side of the hill. She was wearing a thin white nightgown, wraith-like in the warm summer night. "Are you awake?"

_ Unfortunately._

"Have you thought about what Professor Oak had said about the finals?" she approached his hammock, keeping a lookout for discarded apple cores.

_ Yes._

"And what is your choice?"

A huge purple eye rolled toward her, then went back to the sky. _I think it would be good for us. _

"I think so too." Sabrina sat down at the other end of his hammock, pulling her legs up and tucking them into the fabric of her gown. "We can have the stuff packed up-including a hammock for you. It would be a week of hell, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it to the last minute."

_ Did you go to the Finals when you were a Gym Leader?_

"I still am buster," she smiled, and absently stroked his tail. "No, to become a Gym Leader you had to fight the Elite Four. Then they judged your rank on how well you did," she leaned back, deciding to take in the view. "Bill was overjoyed when I told him about the baby. I can't believe it myself. But then I think about the headache it will be. Diapers, crying, drooling, psychic powers in my case."

"It will be a little you," Mewtwo said with a smile in his voice. The wind picked up and the hammock swayed. He reached up and turned off the headset, then put it aside.

"Good idea, I have no idea what kind of batteries that thing takes," she ran her hand along his tail, smoothing his short fur. "Bill would know," Sabrina sighed and closed her eyes. "I think being invited as guests of honor at the Finals is a good thing. We can get out there and show our support for responsible Pokemon training. And hopefully ease some fears about your origin."

"I had been thinking about that too." Mewtwo sighed, his tail curling around her protectively. His origin was known to those that chose to seek it. He was created as a clone. Yet as Joy and Professor Oak had discovered, he wasn't just a clone, but had elements of other Pokemon and abilities in his nature. His abilities went well above the needs for a simple game. If he had stayed with Giovanni and never worked to attain his freedom, there was no telling what he would be made to do.

Sabrina smiled almost nostalgically. "I love you Two. I will do everything I can to keep you happy."

"And I love you," Mewtwo said, and found it surprising that it came from the heart.

"Goodnight." Sabrina slipped out of the hammock, the night gown fell to her ankles in a smooth cascade of white from her shoulders. A bit of her stomach was starting to show, the gossamer white covered it just barely. She was still the most beautiful vision he had ever laid eyes on. The first time Mewtwo had seen her had been across a small stream. She had been wearing hiking boots, blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a bulky backpack.

But that had been long ago.

"Say goodnight to Bill for me." Mewtwo watched as she started down the hill. She wouldn't want help, but he kept an eye on her all the same.

"I will," she called and waved.

Mewtwo knew that she was happy, and that was all that really mattered to him. Yet at the same time, he had never felt so lonely.

* * *

The morning air was fresh and clean, the salt of the sea kept back by low tide and a strong wind. Oak had said farewell a few minutes ago and flown back to Pallet on his Pidgeot. Bill and Sabrina had finished packing, and gave Mewtwo a gift. A black backpack with his name embossed on a strap in silver thread. Mewtwo filled it with a few of his belongings, the headset and its charge unit along with some snacks for the trip to the train station. The finals at Indigo Plateau would begin in a week, and they had some business to finish in Saffron before then.

"Ah, such a nice morning for a walk!" Bill led the way. Sabrina followed with Haunter, and Mewtwo took one last look at the lighthouse. It was once again silent, yet it seemed as if a new chapter in his life had been reached, a new purpose. Mew skittered along the clouds in the back ground.

_ I can't help but wonder what awaits me the next time I come here. Bill, Sabrina, their child...What must my purpose be after the League games?_

Sabrina turned around. _Don't worry about those things yet, we have plenty of time._

The following week passed quickly, with time split between training and helping Bill prepare the nursery in one of the spare rooms of the home. They chose to stay in Saffron until the baby was born due to closer proximity to hospitals and other emergency services. The light house would be an occasional treat until the child was older. Mewtwo was finding himself thinking of ways to child-proof the garden, but there was only so much that could be done when faced with rocks and plants.

Late Thursday night, they boarded a train for Indigo and arrived early Friday morning. Bill had called ahead to secure their hotel room, and tell the officials they had arrived safely. Friday afternoon after a short nap, they set out to collect their event badges and check out the roster for the weeks events.

Mewtwo walked through the great halls and hotels feeling like a tourist. Everything was so big, a testament to humans engineering abilities. Indigo itself was a large city, with the event park set to the west, nestled against gentle foothills and a wide expanse of forests. A wide lazy river filled with boat traffic cut through the city with attractions and boardwalks on either side for travelers.

And Pokemon were everywhere.

Pokemon of all sizes, colors, stripes and types walked alongside their trainers, swam in the river, or flew overhead. The numerous city parks had become campgrounds filled with trainers from all over Kanto, Johto, and beyond. Friendly matches and battles were taking place regularly, and performing Pokemon were on almost every street corner, displaying a dazzling array of tricks and abilities.

For the first time in his life Mewtwo was welcome among them. He had seen festivities like these from afar, hidden in the shadow of the moon, but now he was involved as an active participant. Trainers old and young called out to Sabrina and Bill on the street. Before now he hadn't realized what celebrities of the Pokemon world that his friends were considered. They posed for pictures or gave advice on different techniques to use on certain types. Mewtwo wasn't sure of how to handle all the extra attention.

When they finally reached the registration booths, it was late afternoon. Bill and Sabrina received clip-on badges with ribbons that marked them as VIPs, and Mewtwo was even given a badge with his name on it that he clipped on the strap of his backpack. He was also given a bracelet with a green jewel set into the top.

"This is your Pokemon identification band," the clerk explained. "In the event that you are separated from your trainers, other trainers cannot challenge you to battle, or capture you with League approved equipment. Conversely, if the security officers approach you, they are permitted to capture and contain you until your trainers can be found, but that is only in the event that trouble gets started."

Mewtwo studied the band for a moment and agreed that it was a necessary if unfortunate measure.

Sabrina opened the events handbook. "The march is tomorrow morning beginning at nine. Huh? No Pokemon allowed in the march?" she asked the clerk.

"That is a change that had to be made for the events this year. Last year we had a couple of trainers lose control of their Pokemon during the march and several people were hurt and the trainers were disqualified."

Bill nodded. "Thank you, can Pokemon can still watch?"

"Yes, in approved areas on the sidelines."

"Approved areas?" Sabrina asked. "Look, I know that safety is top priority, but this is getting a little extreme."

The clerk looked left then right. Satisfied that they were alone she leaned in closer. "Miss Sabrina, I can tell you that we had invited a lot of high-ranking trainers here this year in an effort to drum up more support for Pokemon Conservation in the wild. However that also makes us a target for outside organizations that would take the chance to make off with as many Pokemon as they can. The Pokemon approved areas are places with higher security to protect our participants. As are the identification bracelets."

"I see," Sabrina nodded. "Well, in that case, are the opening ceremonies still on for tonight, and are Pokemon allowed in them?"

"Yes, and yes," the clerks smile returned. "We hope you enjoy your time at Indigo Plateau Pokemon Finals!"

* * *

The opening ceremonies were held in the main arena of the League complex. There were five main arenas in all, each one tailored to a certain element, allowing the competitors to display their skills in natural environments. The main arena had a large flat open field with manicured grass and chalk lines marking the borders and zones. A stage had been erected in the center of the field where the guests of honor would make speeches or Pokemon performers would have their routines.

Bill and Sabrina had been asked to speak, but had turned it down due to lack of preparation, but they did give Professor Oak permission to announce their marriage and that they were expecting. The ceremonies started with music and a dance number. Mewtwo along with his friends were seated almost on field level and got the full effect of the music and high emotions.

Mewtwo normally enjoyed music, but this was too much. So many humans and Pokemon, more than he had ever seen in one place in his life. The crowds suddenly became too heavy. Their Pokemon too alien, the sounds and lights were disorienting, his headache combined with his returning psychic powers created a perfect storm of confusion. At least he could recognize the growing panic for what it was. He was in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers with only their good will as defense.

"Whats wrong?" Sabrina asked when she saw Mewtwo pull his headset from his backpack.

_ This is getting to be a bit much. I'm going higher where I can get some air and calm down._ Mewtwo activated the headset, and navigated the crowds and stadium halls until he was greeted by cool late summer night air. _Now all I need is a nice spot to sit...or float._ Mewtwo landed on one of the flag poles that were mounted to the top of the arena. Part of his weight settled on the pole, the rest supported by his powers. The spectators at his feet looked up in surprise at the Pokemon, a few kids laughed, thinking it was part of the show.

The remainder of the opening ceremonies were beyond boring. He almost fell off his perch when he dozed off a little. To keep himself occupied he studied his battle log. His first engagement/performance was supposed to be the following morning at ten, just after the march ended. Despite the press of people, he couldn't wait.

"Hey mom! Look!" a little girl exclaimed as she jumped up and down below him.

_ She looks like...Ai..._ His mind went blank, then images of the lab filled his thoughts, memories fell on him like a cascade of leaves. _"And this is your hand, see, one two three,"_

Mewtwo shook his head, he suddenly noticed that all the people below him were staring up at him partly in fear, partly in fascination. The mother was holding back her little girl like a Kangaskahn protecting it's young. _What did I do?_ He started floating again. _I projected the memory didn't I?_ The people at his feet watched in awe as Mewtwo lifted into the air and scanned the crowd for Sabrina and Bill. He found them, then landed next to them and sat down.

"Careful when you do that, you're scaring the locals," Sabrina smirked.

"Are you all right?" Bill asked as he passed a drink to Sabrina. "You look a little shaken."

_ I'm fine._ He took off the headset and put it back inside his backpack, he didn't want to alarm his friends by telling them he was having panic attacks already. Absently his fingers ran over the silver lettering of his name.

_ Mewtwo._

Like he always spelled it. It set him apart, even though there was nothing to set himself apart from. _Ai...where did those memories come from? I know that you never forget childhood friends, at least the ones that mean so much to you but-_

"Two, you're floating." Sabrina gave the drink back to Bill.

_ You didn't hear what I was thinking, did you? _

_ Just something about friendship. _

_ Wonderful, now I have to concentrate__** not**__ to use my powers._

"Never happy are you?" Bill yawned. "The show's over anyway."

"About time, my butt fell asleep," Sabrina stood up and picked up her backpack. "And remember, we're all here to have fun...or else."

_ It will take me a day or so to get my bearings. _

_ I don't think it will be that long._ Sabrina fell into step behind Bill as they shuffled their way out of the exits. "When we get back to the hotel room, I'm the first in the shower, and I'm going to be the first in the bed."

_ You might have competition, I need to rest up for tomorrow._

"Win or lose, we're here to have fun," Bill smiled.

* * *

The Ice Field was the location of Mewtwos first battle. As the name suggested, it was a large sheet of ice dotted with large chunks of ice that resembled crumbled glaciers. It would have been convincing, except instead of arctic tundra extending to the horizon, there were cheering faces all around. Mewtwo thought he had his anxiety reasoned with when he went to sleep the night before, but now it returned in full force. Every viable excuse he could come up with to avoid the fight had been exhausted now that he stood here.

"Think you're ready Two?" Sabrina put his headset on him, and turned it on. "I believe in you, Me and Bill are behind you all the way."

_ I hate cold._ Mewtwo looked out on the sheet of ice awaiting him

"And fire and water," Bill said with a smile.

_ I don't how I'm going to stand without slipping._

"Use your nails for grip."

_ What nails? I've got little worn down nubs on my feet that would be more useful if removed!_

"Stop complaining and get out there, we've come too far to get cold feet now." Sabrina stood on the red platform with Bill as it rose into the air. Much to Bill's protests.

"Dear, you're too high up, what about the baby?"

"The kid is fine Bill!" she steadied herself in a corner of the platform. Mewtwo stepped on to the ice.

_ Coooolldddd..._

_ Grin and bear it! _Sabrina snapped.

"Haunt haunt haunt!"

"Shut-up Haunter." Sabrina leaned on the rail. "It's my turn to play."

Bill prudently took a step back.

_ I wonder if I should entrust my life to a pregnant woman whose hormones are going out of control right now?_

Mewtwos opponents were selected from a lottery of trainers that had obtained certain credentials in both Pokemon training and care. His fights were considered extra credit and did not affect the eventual outcome of Finals. If anything, his matches served as entertainment for the overflow of visitors this year. The trainer in the green corner threw a Pokeball. A Starmie hopped out, performing a little spin maneuver in the air before taking its place on the ice.

"Easy...Too easy." Sabrina had flames in her eyes.

_ I repeat, should I be more worried about my trainer or my opponent?_

"Alright Two! Lets show 'em what ya got!"

"Starmie! Water Gun!" the opposite trainer shouted.

"Two! agility, then Tail Strike!"

Mewtwo jumped to the side, and went sliding across the ice. Starmie lowered the water gun then shot. Mewtwo slid out of the way, then brought his tail around. The Starmie went rolling and skidding across the ice from his hit.

"Starmie! Tackle!" the trainer shouted excitedly.

"Two! You know what to do!"

Mewtwo gained his feet, then jumped and landed on top of the spinning water Pokemon. His weight threw it off-balance and brought it crashing to the ice. The ice cracked as the two Pokemon landed. Starmie was out.

"Starmie! Return!" green chose another ball. "Go Hypno!"

"Hypno?" Sabrina leaned forward. "Two! Be careful!"

_ I know how to handle Hypnos._

"Don't get cocky with me!" Sabrina snapped back.

Hypno raised his charm and started chanting. "Hypno...Hypno..."

"Two! don't look at him! Just get in there and kick his ass!" she leaned over the railing.

"Love, your tongue..." Bill said softly.

"Shut-up Bill."

"Haunt-haunt!"

"Shut-up Haunter!"

Mewtwo stared at the charm. _He he...Kinda tickles..._

"Love, its a performance match, take it easy on him." Bill tried to calm his wife, then turned his full attention to the match when he heard Mewtwo chuckle.

"He he heh..." Mewtwo walked over to the Hypno, laughed, then put his hand on the confused Hypno's shoulder.

"Hypno?"

_ Why yes, I'm fine._ Mewtwo reared up and kicked. The Hypno went rolling and slammed into an ice pillar. The Pokemon was down for the count.

"That was a dirty move! Who taught you that?" Sabrina asked.

_ Haunter._

"One more Pokemon to go!" Bill shouted as the ghost Pokemon suddenly vanished.

"Go Dewgong!"

_ Dewgong?_ Mewtwo narrowed his eyes at the Pokemon, this one had a little more spunk in it.

Without any command from their respective trainers, Mewtwo and Dewgong opened up on each other. Dewgong erupted with a strong Ice Beam that Mewtwo countered with a Psybeam. The attacks met in mid air, creating a dazzling show of crackling rainbow tinted ice spires. The crowd cheered as the two Pokemon kept up their attacks, neither wanting to be the first to back down. Slowly Mewtwo began to gain an advantage, pushing Dewgong backward across the ice. He sensed a waver in the intensity of the Ice Beam, then stopped his own attack altogether.

The Dewgong had held up for as long as it could, but now needed a moment to recharge. Mewtwo heard his headset make a low whirring noise as it recalibrated from the attack. The time buzzer sounded, and the crowd cheered.

_ "The winner is Mewtwo in the Red Corner!"_ The announcer shouted.

Mewtwo stood still, unable to process for the moment that they were cheering for him, chanting his name. He had never known such a positive reception at the end of a battle. A battle had always been a personal thing, between two trainers and their Pokemon, but this was something else. This was praise, more intense than he had ever gotten from Sabrina and Bill, and filled with more joy and elation than he had ever known.

_ Do something!_ Sabrina said. _Don't just stand there, show your appreciation!_

_ Like what?_

_ I dunno, take a lap around the field, or complement your opponent. Be sportsmanlike!_

Mewtwo slid forward and bowed respectively to the trainer in the green corner. He went to the sidelines and hopped/ran a lap around the outside of the field, touching hands as he passed before stopping back at the red corner where Sabrina and Bill waited

"You are eating this up," Bill helped Sabrina down from the platform. "Lets go, you have two more battles today!"

* * *

"Are you okay?" Sabrina wiped some of the sweat from Mewtwo's head then gave him a water bottle once they reached their hotel room.

"Yes...that Onyx really had me for a moment. My back hurts." Mewtwo drank the water, and sat down as Sabrina began rubbing Superpotion on his injured arm. "Thank you."

"Just let me know if you need to go to a Center," Sabrina sprayed some potion on his back, then rubbed it into his fur. Mewtwo leaned into her touch, feeling better already.

"He just needs some rest," Bill came in with a towel around his shoulders. "I think we all do," he looked over the program again and sat down on one of the beds.

"Sabrina, stand back a bit," Mewtwo closed his eyes, and concentrated. His body glowed blue, then faded. His recover ability was getting stronger now, he had been using it enough in the last few matches. "I am getting hungry though."

"You said it," Sabrina put the potions away, then grabbed a pamphlet and began flipping through the pages. "Let me see if I can find some place then...ah, here's one. Its a buffet-type place nearby. Will probably be swarming with trainers, but at least it has something to satisfy all of us." She looped arms with both Bill and Mewtwo. "Besides, all that screaming has made me thirsty!"

Bill put his towel back in his bag and left alongside his wife and Mewtwo. The day was hot, with the promise of an overnight storm on the horizon. They found the restaurant quickly enough, and sat down at one of the tables. The restaurant had both a human and Pokemon buffet, with meals that could be ordered from the kitchen. They ate quickly, going back for more as conversation and their moods allowed.

They had all just settled in to enjoy dessert when Sabrina gasped. "Oh!" she grabbed Bills hand. "It kicked!"

"Really?" Bill put his hand on her stomach, trying to find a place to feel the baby. "Where Love?"

"Right here," she moved his hand. "No, a little to the left, right there."

Mewtwo's eyes darted back and forth between them. Feeling a bit awkward and left out.

"Oh I felt it!" Bills said happily.

Mewtwo watched in silence as Bill tenderly kissed Sabrina. _Why do I feel so excluded? I care for both of them, yet..._

Their kiss deepened.

_ Even though I have their friendship, I still feel lonely. I suppose that's just my burden. Being 'rare' and the only one of my kind, the only one still living...There are even other Mews, but just one Mewtwo. Me._

They pulled away from their kiss, and embraced.

_ Humans are very close creatures, pack animals that cling to one another. Is it because they feel a need to be close, or is it something more? I am alone. What if I was to take a wife? What would she be? A Pokemon or Human? What if I declared my unending love for a human? What would happen then?_

"Sabrina, Bill." Mewtwo stood up. He loved them both, but there was a limit to how much of their affection for each other that he could stomach. "I'm going for a walk to collect my thoughts. You two go ahead to the hotel. I'll be in later."

"Will you be okay?"

"Yes, In have my headset and ID bracelet."

"Hmmmm...hold on," Sabrina upended her purse. "Here's some money in case you see something you want."

"Thanks. See you in a few hours."

"Hey Two," she studied him for a moment. Mewtwo couldn't read her expression or her mind. "Be careful."

"I will,"

* * *

Gray smoke from numerous stands and grills curled into the night sky. It was a great night. All around were people and Pokemon talking and having fun, eating and playing. Occasionally trainers would stop to take a picture of Mewtwo or ask about his backpack. A parade rolled by on the street behind him in a frenzy of light hearted music, somehow hollow-sounding, but adding to the atmosphere all the same. Mewtwo took a random path, traveling through the camp grounds and evening bazaars. No one questioned the whereabouts of his trainers or even what he was doing. He felt alone in the presence of so many.

His journey eventually took him to the riverside boardwalk, where diners and restaurants had spilled over onto the wooden boards, singing and having a great time. Mewtwo paused near a clear patch of railing and turned to look at Indigo city across the water, lit up in tones of amber and green. Humans really were amazing creatures.

"Hey mom! Look! It's Mewtwo!"

_ Hmm?_ He turned away form his view of the city to see a little boy running up to him.

"John! Don't go over there. His trainers might get angry," the boys mother called after him, walking quickly to catch up to her son.

"It's all right," Mewtwo spoke gently. That was one thing he had learned, humans didn't respond well to loud voices, at least not at first.

The boy looked up wide-eyed. "Wow...he can talk! Mom! Mom! He can talk!"

"Come away, don't bother him," Johns mother tried to grab his arm, but like most children, he was fearless.

"Mom! Let go!" John slipped out of her grip. "You're the greatest Mewtwo!"

_ The greatest? I have a fan?_

"Can I have your autograph?" John held up a small autograph book. His mother held back, critical yet for the moment humoring her son.

"Sure, do you have a pen?" Mewtwo asked the boy. He knelt to be on eye-level with his fan. The rest of the crowd didn't exist anymore, John had Mewtwos undivided attention.

"Right here." John held up a pen with the small plastic Jigglypuff on top.

Mewtwo pulled the pen cap off and wondered what he should write in the book. Should he give some advice or encouragement? Or would just his name suffice? He began writing before he had come to a conscious decision, as if he knew what to say all along. "To John. Remember, the circumstances of ones birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are. Signed, Mewtwo."

For a moment he caught Johns mothers eye, and in that moment he knew that he belonged to neither the Pokemon nor the Human world. He was too intelligent to be a Pokemon, but too alien in appearance to be accepted as Human. Mewtwo could see that this frightened her on a very primal level.

Mewtwo closed the book and gave it back to John, resisting the urge to see the names and signatures of others that had signed the book.

"Wow! Thank you!" John jumped up and hugged Mewtwo. Mewtwo weakly hugged him back, partly to not disappoint his fan, and mostly to not alarm his mother. It was the first time a kid had ever lept into his arms at all. John jumped down and ran to his mom who was all to happy to leave and put this strange moment of revelation behind her.

Mewtwo smiled despite himself as Johns mother dragged him away. _I have a fan. Wait till Bill and Sabrina hear about this!_

"You handled that very well." Came a voice behind him. "The great and almighty Mewtwo signs autographs for adoring fans."

Mewtwo stood from crouching on the ground. He turned around, and all his senses flared. He knew that voice from dark moments in his past. She was the last person that he expected to find here.

A woman with long red hair stood before him, small tight severe curls framed her fiercely intelligent blue eyes. She wore a short black skirt, summer blouse and boots. He remembered her, and while she probably wasn't the most dangerous member of Team Rocket he could encounter, where she was, more were waiting in the shadows.

"Do you remember me?" she asked.

_ How could I forget? _Mewtwo growled. _The infamous Jesse of Team Rocket._

"I am not part of Team Rocket anymore," she said softly, casting a nervous glance behind Mewtwo, further up the riverwalk.

_You expect me to believe you? After everything you have done?_

"We can talk later if you like, but right now I need you to trust me," Jesse leaned against the railing, trying to appear casual, but Mewtwo could tell that she was more tightly wound than a spring. "Agents have been following you. If you expand your mind and lightly touch theirs, you will see that I am telling you the truth. Heck, even read mine for all I care. Please believe me when I say that I am here to help you," she glanced over Mewtwos shoulder once more.

Cautiously, Mewtwo searched the minds around him. The humans were mostly oblivious, too caught up in their individual tasks and enjoyment. All save for a group of five, their minds were sharp and dark. They could conceal their presence, but not their intent. They were here for him. He had made Team Rocket forget his identity years ago, and now since he had stepped into the public eye they remembered and wanted him back.

He turned his mental eye on Jesse, and saw that she was sincere, high-strung and nervous, but sincere. It seemed that she had just as much to lose as he did by coming out of hiding. Their eyes met for a moment, and Mewtwo gave the slightest of nods.

As one, he and Jesse stepped away from the rail and began walking as if they were Trainer and Pokemon. _Why help me?_ Mewtwo asked.

"I can explain all of that later, but for now we need to put some distance between ourselves and them." Jesse quickened her pace, flagging down a water taxi that was about to leave. She and Mewtwo quickly boarded and sat down. As the boat pulled away from the dock, Mewtwo saw five men dressed in dark blue business suits come to a stop at the dock and watch as the water taxi headed for the opposite shore. "That was close," Jesse sighed. "Would you like me to escort you back to the hotel?"

Mewtwo was torn between keeping Bill and Sabrina safe, and the reputation of his companion. He had read her intentions already, and true to her word she had remained open to him. Other than that there was no real reason to trust her. She was Team Rocket, a foe from years gone by. A foe that knew him. There was no easy way to go about this. Then again, if Jesse proved to be untrustworthy, he could notify Sabrina and she would have an entire squad of Jennys ready to apprehend her.

_Yes, but first I need a lot of answers. Because I have a lot of questions._

* * *

They kept to the arena grounds and surrounding campus. There was more light and people here, which would discourage anything other than spying or eavesdropping. Jesse kept her pace brisk yet relaxed, easily matching Mewtwo's stride. The story she had told him on the way was compelling, slowly erasing his doubts the more she spoke.

"Why did you marry him Jesse?" Mewtwo asked after a pause.

"It was a power thing I suppose." She took a drag off a cigarette she had lit up. "I really did love him. I honestly did, and for a while I was in heaven. He was so passionate. James and I had never been really serious, I suppose I was looking for someone older. Giovanni was my knight in shining armor."

They sat down on the grass next to a small park area that was off limits to camping. A couple of trainers walked by with their nocturnal Pokemon, off to an after midnight match or two.

"It completely destroyed James," she continued. "He resigned from Team Rocket, and I married Giovanni. I did love him, I loved both of them with all my heart. In a fit of rage one night Gio hit me. I was willing to let it go the first time. Then the beatings became more frequent. I still loved him, so I let him go on with it. After all I had survived worse. Until one night. He just crossed the line. I realized what I had become and refused to let it go any farther. So I took a poker form the fireplace and beat him senseless with it. But I didn't kill him. So while he was unconscious, I made my escape." She took another drag and exhaled the bitter smoke into the night. Mewtwo watched both fascinated and horrified at her accounts. "But thats not everything." She snubbed out the cigarette.

Mewtwo then asked the burning question on his mind. "So why all the Pokemon? What does he need them for?"

"You were able to erase his memories, but not the remaining files of your creation. He found them and set his scientists to recreating the experiment. I can't tell you how angry he was when he realized that he had been fooled and didn't know it. He needed a wide variety of Pokemon DNA to perform the experiment. The more powerful the better." Jesse said carefully.

Mewtwo felt a vice close around his heart. "There are others? More...mewtwos? How many? Where? Are they all alive?"

"That part I'm afraid I can't answer," she lit another cigarette. "I left while the project was still in a transition stage. But at that time, I know that he had over eighty-five live mewtwos, both male and female. That lab was a horrible place, and I want nothing more than to see it burn."

Mewtwo felt faint, the pain in his heart growing stronger and more intense. "Why didn't Mew tell me this? Take me there, I cannot allow this horror to continue!"

Jesse lit a cigarette and passed it to him. "Here, it will make you feel better. I can't make a move just yet. The law can't touch the place without good reason, and I'm waiting to hear from a contact on the inside for the right time to strike. I'm supposed to meet him tomorrow night."

Mewtwo looked at the burning roll of paper, then accepted it. "I'm going with you."

"We need to get you away from your trainers first. Besides, there is a reason that I'm here at the Finals, and its not just to make contact with you."

Mewtwo drew a shallow drag off the cigarette, and to his relief, the headache that had been a constant part of his life for the past year faded. His lungs tickled, threatening to make him cough, but the headache was gone. "Why are you here then?"

"There is another Mewtwo at this competition, and I'm determined to find her."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: And Fall**

"Two, are you awake?" a soft voice came, gently rousing the Pokemon from sleep.

_ Sabrina?_ Mewtwo asked, his thoughts still muddled.

"No, not Sabrina, she went to grab some breakfast. I would have gone with her but I could tell she wanted some time to herself." Bill sat down on the bed, closest to the the hammock they had set up for Mewtwo. "You had me a little worried, I didn't hear you come in last night."

_ Last night? _ Mewtwo barely could remember coming into the hotel room himself. His enounter with Jesse and the upsetting new that she had delivered. He shivered a little despite the heat.

"Is everything alright? Were you attacked?"

_ Huh? No. _Mewtwo knew that if he told Bill about Jesse, that would be the end of their stay at the Finals. Once Team Rocket, always Team Rocket. Instead he decided to keep that news to himself until they had more information._ No, I...had a bit of a fanclub following me around last night. They wanted pictures and autographs. I'm hoping I didn't frighten anyone._

"Oh..." Bill smiled. His eyes got that now familiar dreamy look. "That is good news." He sat cross-legged on the bed. Feet barefoot, a light shirt and a pair of casual jeans. He didn't look anywhere near his true age. Come to think of it, he never had.

Mewtwo looked out the window. The sun wasn't too high, and the shadows were still long, it was probably still early morning. He remembered the plan that he and Jesse had made the night before. She would come to pick him up while in disguise and together they would visit her contact. He needed a good cover story to keep Sabrina and Bill safe. It hurt him to lie to his friends, but if he was going to lie to anyone, it would be Bill, Sabrina would scan his mind and know immediately. Finally he said. _I also met someone last night._

"Oh? Who?" Bill started fluffing a pillow. "Another Pokemon?"

_ No, a Pokemon trainer. We were planning on meeting up tonight after the matches for a gathering in the park. No battles, just a bunch of trainers and Pokemon._

"That sounds pleasant," Bill thought for a moment. "About what time?"

_ I was...kind of hoping I could go alone. _Mewtwo said sheepishly.

"Sabrina isn't going to like that."

_ I know, but she also knows that I am my own Pokemon. _Mewtwo looked back to the sky. _Besides, it will give you both an opportunity to spend an evening together. Go out and get dinner, see a movie, have fun and don't worry about me._

Bill put the pillow under his chin and laid out on the bed. "Sounds tempting. Are you going to be able to fight today? You seem upset."

_ Perhaps I just need more sleep. _Mewtwo yawned. So far Bill seemed to buy his story.

"I can leave you alone for another hour or so to let you catch up on some rest." Bill offered.

Mewtwo thought briefly that if Bill was a Pokemon, he'd be a Mew. _That sounds like a good idea._ He reclined back in his hammock and pulled his blanket up over his body. He pretended to rest, but his mind was alert and active. He opened his thoughts and awareness as wide as he dared, searching through the myriad of Pokemon and people, looking for any clue that there was truth in Jesse's words.

So many, so little time. His head began to ache, and he reluctantly withdrew back into his own mind. Night couldn't fall soon enough.

* * *

Mewtwo stepped onto the grass field for the second match of the day. He had managed to get some sleep before Sabrina arrived back at the hotel room. His and mind was still uneasy as he tried to loose himself in the days battles.

"Go Magniton!" the trainer opposite called out, obviously excited and ready to show some of his skill.

Sabrina and Bill took turns navigating Mewtwo through the battle. The Magniton fought well yet finally went down, and Mewtwo used his Recover ability to be rid of the paralysis. The trainer called out his next Pokemon. A Weepin bell. Two hits, and it was down. Very grudgingly, the trainer brought out his last.

"Ultima Tackle!" Sabrina called out.

"Sqiurtle! Head butt!"

Mewtwo started hopping and closed the distance between himself and the Sqiurtle. His shoulder connected with the tiny head, stopping both of them dead in their tracks.

_ Owww..._ Mewtwo rubbed his shoulder.

"That is not like him, Mega kick!" Sabrina bellowed form her perch. Bill had to hold her back to keep her from going over the side on her passion. Mewtwo reached out with his foot and slammed the Squirtle on his stomach. It went sliding back over the grass, then slammed into a wall out of bounds.

_"And the win goes to the Red corner! Mewtwo wins again!" _

Mewtwo did a victory lap around the field even though his thoughts were far away. He searched the crowds, paying attention to individual faces and smells. Where? Which one? Out of the corner of his eye he saw the boy John from the night before being held back by his mother. He raised an arm and waved, then returned to Sabrina and Bills side.

"Good Job Two!" Sabrina shouted when he came in and slid to a stop. "We've got a few hours until your next match."

_ Why so many in one day?_

"I think it's because there are so many people here," Bill said looking around. "I've been listening to the gossip. Come, I'll tell you over lunch."

They left the stadium. Bill slipped his arm around Sabrina's waist, and they walked with the easy matching stride of two people in love. The three of them stepped from the stadium onto a pedestrian bridge over a large receiving dock for the stadium. Mewtwo paused when he felt a strange presence. _What is that? _He stood by the railing, and looked over the side at a pair of large trucks that were unloading various pieces of equipment and a few large Pokemon.

A girl with shoulder-length brown hair jumped out of the cab of one of the truck. Even from this distance she had an aura of hostility. The mature and commanding way she carried herself sent shivers down Mewtwo's spine. "Be very careful!" She barked orders at men as they began to unload more cargo. "This is a very dangerous Pokemon! Only I can control it!"

"Yes miss!"

Bill noticed that Mewtwo had stopped, then watched silently alongside him. "Some people treat their Pokemon in this way. The League has rules, but in the end, unless someone files a formal complaint, there is little we can do about it. And even then the investigation can stall."

Mewtwo leaned forward a little more, then reached up to activate his headset. "I want to get closer."

"Two, you might as well get back here." Sabrina said as he began to hover. "We may be invited guests, but even we can't interfere with another Trainers Pokemon."

The girl below them, suddenly turned and looked upward, fixing harsh green eyes on him. She smiled bitterly, an expression that belonged on much older features than hers. She chuckled once then said, "I look forward to seeing you in the ring Mewtwo."

Mewtwo felt her cold gaze. It felt familiar. It pulled on some deep part of him. He stepped back from the rail, but not before taking one look out of the corner of his eye at the open hatch in back of the truck. A Ryhorn had been unloaded and he thought he could see something else, something pink, but then it was gone.

"Get lost," the girl snapped. "Or I'll report all three of you."

Sabrina peeked over the edge, bit back a remark, then reached out and took Bills hand and Mewtwo's paw. As they walked away, Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder once more, hoping to get a glimpse of the other Pokemon in the truck.

"Two," Bill said softly. "Let it go, there is nothing we can do."

* * *

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. The afternoon battles weren't so much actual matches, but displays of different kinds of Pokemon and their abilities. They never saw the brown-haired girl, or her pokemon, but they had heard stories about a young trainer and her powerhouse of ground types. It was late afternoon when the three of them retreated to their hotel room, and early evening when a knock sounded at the door.

Sabrina glanced up from her place next to Bill, a little surprised by the light knocking. "Just a moment!" She called, then stretched and yawned. The crossed the room in a few strides then opened the the door to their room. "Oh...hello," a woman with short purple hair and a white coat stood on the other side. "Um...may I help you?" Sabrina asked, hiding behind the door.

"Wow, Gym Leader Sabrina! Sorry to interrupt anything, is Mewtwo here?" she asked softly, almost timidly.

Sabrina tilted her head a little, trying to digest the presence of the visitor. "Whom may I ask is calling?"

"I'm Jesan, a Trainer from Celadon. I had met Mewtwo in the park last night, while he was signing autographs." she gave a little curtsey, even though she was wearing shorts.

"Hold on just a minute." Sabrina shifted a suitcase and opened the door wider. "Come on in."

"Thank you," Jesan stepped into the room. Bill was spread out on the bed with a pillow and watching the evening news. She couldn't help but feel some tension spread with her arrival. A hammock was set up on a pipe frame with a single pillow and a thin blanket. "Two's spot I take it. He mentioned that he liked hammocks."

"Yes, but he's usually not that messy." Bill spoke up.

"But why a hammock?" Jesan could feel Sabrina sizeing her up, attempting to peek into her mind.

"He doesn't like normal beds, and refuses to sleep on the ground." Bill fluffed the pillow and grabbed the remote to change the channel.

Jesan smiled. "Just like my Mewoth...but where is Two, I don't see him."

"Getting a shower." Bill tore his gaze away from the television and watched Sabrina as she circled the poor Trainer like a predator. "He should be out any moment."

"Oh." Jesan remained near the door.

"Why did you come for Two?" Sabrina folded her arms.

"We had made plans to attend a dance in the park tonight. Lots of people and Pokemon will be there. Oh! I'm sorry, do you want to come?" she said excitedly. "Oh it would be so awesome to have a Gym Leader there!"

Bill rose from the bed and put an arm around Sabrina's shoulders. "Actually, Sabrina and I were looking forward to a nice night to ourselves."

"We were?"

"Yes Love. Two had already talked to me about it this morning while you were out. He spoke very highly of Jesan. I don't see anything wrong with it. And besides, if anything were to happen, he is still wearing that bracelet."

Sabrina conceded and calmed down a little. "Okay, but I'm giving him a curfew."

"Love, honestly?" Bill rubbed her shoulder.

The bathroom door opened. Mewtwo stepped out, his newly dried fur caught the light as he stepped into the room. He saw Jesan, and a moment of understanding went between them that wasn't lost on Sabrina. She knew there was something else going on, and was determined to get to the bottom of it.

_Sabrina._ Mewtwo said before she could get a word out. _Please, trust me._

_This isn't like you, you have been distracted all day, you won't speak to me as much, what is going on?_ She shot back. _Are you looking for a new trainer?_

_No, I am not. Please just trust me. I promise that I will be back soon, and I will tell you everything in the morning._

_Two, but-_

_In the morning Sabrina._ Mewtwo said more firmly.

"Ready to get going?" Jesan said just as cheerfully. Mewtwo picked up his backpack, but left his headset behind to charge. "You two love birds have fun tonight!"

Sabrina sat down on the bed as Mewtwo closed the door behind them. "Bill."

"Yes Love?"

"Do you think we've lost him?"

Bill held his wife close and kissed her cheek. "I don't think so at all. I think a night out with a new friend is just what he needs."

* * *

"Sabrina really is very nice. I can see why you like her." Jesse took a drag off a cigarette and then gave it to Mewtwo. She had taken off her disguise and stored it in a large bag at her side. Mewtwo took a slow draw and felt his headache fade. If last night was a celebration, they hadn't seen anything yet. A few partiers were out and running around with their Pokemon trying to get a few last minutes of fun in before the matches tomorrow.

"She has been under a lot of pressure lately," he exhaled the bittersweet smoke, then passed it back to Jesse.

"How long have you two been friends?"

"About three years."

"Must be wonderful." They walked in a comfortable silence. Jesse then spoke up. "I've often wondered what it would be like to be married to James."

"I'm surprised that you fell out of touch."

"I don't know where he is. Its like he dropped off the face of the planet, and he wouldn't take me back after what I did to him. Ah, here we are." Jesse stopped in front of a building. Mewtwo fixed his backpack and stood next to her.

"A bar?"

"Its where he wanted to meet me. Guess he could have chosen a worse place," Jesse shrugged. "Oh, before we go in, put this on," she pulled a long coat and hat from her oversized purse.

"This disguise won't fool anyone," Mewtwo pulled the coat on, and closed the front as Jesse pulled the hat down on his head to hide his ears.

"It doesn't need to be fool proof, just enough to get us inside and to a booth safely," she looked him over. "Take small steps and keep your tail tucked in." As a final touch, she flipped the collar up to hide his necks. Satisfied that he could at least pass in a room full of drunks, she opened the door and stepped in.

Mewtwo reluctantly followed her inside a large dimly lit room. He had seen these places on TV, and for the most it was what he had come to expect. A few people were sitting along the bar and the rest were huddled in small booths and tables. Oddly, he saw a few other Pokemon in the mix, but they were smaller more common types.

Jesse picked her way through the room and Mewtwo kept close. She eventually found a booth in a back corner away from the majority of prying eyes. Mewtwo sat closest to the wall, peeking at the room around the brim of his hat, and trying to hide his large knobby paws.

"What can I get you sugar?" a waitress came over to take their orders. Jesse said something he couldn't quite catch through the loud music and shouting in the bar. "Alright, and you?" the waitress now turned to Mewtwo. Before he could think it through, Jesse answered for him.

"He'll have the same," Jesse said with a casual smile. Mewtwo sank a little further back into his seat, feeling awkward and out of place. "Don't worry about it. What Sabrina doesn't know won't hurt us."

Mewtwo felt a smile tug at his lips. As strange as he felt, it was also liberating to get out and away from Bill and Sabrina for a while. And he supposed that having a drink was just naughty enough to justify his silence.  
.

The waitress returned with their drinks in two short glasses filled with eyes and some faint green liquid. Mewtwo picked his up and lifted it to his lips, smelling the bitter bite of alcohol accompanied by citrus. "What is this?"

"Its called a whiskey sour. Refreshing enough for hot nights, but packing enough of a punch to make it worth it," Jesse sipped hers, then set the glass down. Mewtwo tasted his and was greeted by the sour tang of lime and lemon. He took an experimental sip, then set his glass down as well. Already he could feel a heat spread through his chest and stomach, and the tenseness from the days battles began to fade.

Jesse stood and moved to Mewtwo's side of the booth as a man joined them. Like Mewtwo he was wearing a large coat and hat. "Good to see you again Doc," Jesse said gently.

"As always you're a sight for sore eyes Jess. I was hoping to beat you here, but the traffic is terrible," he thanked the waitress as she left a drink and returned to her rounds of the bar. "Is this him?" Doc gestured to Mewtwo.

"He is. The First Mewtwo." Jesse nodded. "You said that you had news for me."

Doc studied Mewtwo for a moment. "Let me see your eyes. I've got to know."

Mewtwo lifted the hat from his head just a little, revealing his features to the man. "Are you sure its safe to speak here? Its very public."

Doc began to chuckle. "They were not kidding. There is a scary intelligence there. Those Woodland Lab idiots have no idea what they have let loose on this world. Yeah, we're alright here. May not look like it, but I got ten of my boys keeping an eye out for us."

"Doc, please." Jesse reached out and took the mans hand as Mewtwo returned the hat to its former position.

Doc took off his hat and dropped it on the table. He was an older man, with a resemblance to Professor Oak. "Holliday is still undercover. She has been feeding me information. They've began culling."

"Oh no." Jesse covered her mouth.

"Not much time left now. In the past three months, they've had four escapes. A total loss of six. Two shot in the attempt."

"Jesse, what is he talking about?"

Doc leaned over the table. "I thought you said that you had brought him up to speed."

"A bit, but not all the way." Jesse let go of Docs hand.

Doc fixed hard eyes on Mewtwo. "Better listen, because I'm only going to say it once. Woodland Labs is a horrible place. East of Celedon in the foothills of Mount Moon. Stay far away from there. Its a place where your kind have been bred to die. Some make it out, others, not so lucky."

Mewtwo felt like he had been kicked in the gut. All this time, right under his nose.

"If you're going to act Jess, I suggest you do it soon before they blow that place and move all the Pokemon there to the other labs." Doc picked up his drink.

"Other Pokemon?" Mewtwo looked to Jesse.

Jesse nodded. "When Gio would have his harvests, the Pokemon would be stored there. I was planning to sneak in and attempt to free them before they could be moved or destroyed. But I need help. That would be where you come in."

As Mew had been telling him all along, Mewtwo had no choice in this fight. It would be do or die.

"In other news," Doc continued. "Theres one here, at the Finals."

"You confirmed it then?"

"Yeah. I had figured it would be with one of the Rocket's implanted teams, but so far I've come up with nothing," Doc reached for a bowl of peanuts that had been left on the table. "They might have even traded it off already."

"No." Mewtwo said with sudden conviction. "Is there a young Rocket agent with brown hair and a nasty attitude?"

"Young? How young?" Jesse asked. To her knowledge most field agents were in their late teens.

Mewtwo was a horrible judge of human ages, so instead he gently placed his paw on Jesse's hand, and formed a brief mental image of the girl he had seen earlier. Jesse gasped as the image filled her mind, as clear as if she were standing on the overpass herself. "Sarah!" she shouted.

Doc looked around the bar to see if anyone else had noticed her outburst. His men were at their various posts, still playing the part of bar patrons. He then turned his attention back to Jesse and Mewtwo. "Giovanni's brat is here?"

Jesse nodded. Like Doc, she had been looking for much older trainers, the thought never occurred to her to check the junior camps. "We certainly can't get near her. She's bound to have intense security, and neither of us are equipped to steal a Pokemon of that caliber."

"And she hasn't used it in a battle yet. Which means she's waiting for a good enough challenger to bring it out."

Mewtwo growled under his breath, bringing Jesse and Doc to a stop mid-conversation. "Please. If for nothing more than a courtesy, this other of my species is not an 'it'. Male or female? If you don't know which one, then either say 'they' or 'him'."

Jesse felt ashamed for a moment. "If Sarah is here, then the other mewtwo is a female. That I'm sure of."

Doc was now more wary than before, but he still continued. "We're never going to have another chance to move in though. Its either during these finals, or never. So we need to flush her out somehow."

They fell into a silence, each of them lost in their thoughts. Jesse knew that Sarah wanted to show off. She would want to make her father proud, although Jesse had doubts that Giovanni was even paying attention to the outcome of the Finals this year. While the mewtwo was under lock and key, none of them could get to her. But if they could tempt Sarah to bring her out, preferably in a public place, they stood a chance. Even if it meant showing their hand and involving the authorities.

"We need good enough, powerful bait," Doc mused. "Sarah won't be able to turn down a match that promises her prestige."

Both Jesse and Doc looked up at Mewtwo simultaneously.

Mewtwo raised his paws. ""I would if I could. For one, Bill and Sabrina would never go for it. Secondly, my battles are decided by a lottery. I've been a side-show this whole event."

Doc folded his arms. "If we had known, we could have rigged the lottery in advance. And unless she breaks league protocol and challenges you in the street, we're not gaining any ground in that direction either."

Jesse drank the last of her drink, then set it aside. "Unless...Mewtwo challenges her."

"How does that work?"

Jesse's mind began working quickly. "Well, she has been doing very well in the junior division. Maybe he wants to see what the next generation is made of?"

"Thats so dumb, it could work." Doc glanced at Mewtwo. "I could make that happen. But you have to issue the challenge first. It would of course have no bearing on the outcome of the finals, but it just might be enough to bring the other out of hiding."

Both excitement and fear twisted with the liqueur in Mewtwo's gut. He was angry and upset that the experiments and the cloning had continued behind his back for so long, and now he felt responsible for the lives that had come after his. This would stop, and it would stop now. He loved Sabrina and Bill, but now this was so much bigger than just the three of them.

Mewtwo nodded, then finished the rest of his drink, his mind and body no longer relaxed. "I'll do it. Even if I must brainwash Bill into filling out the forms."

Jesse covered his paw with her hand. "Remember, you won't be going into this alone. I'll be there every step of the way," she smiled reassuringly. For a moment, Mewtwo found himself lost in her blue eyes and fiery presence. He shook the thought away, and decided against ordering another drink.

* * *

Mewtwo returned to the hotel room late that night, well after the festivities in the streets had died down. Jesse had walked him back to the hotel and took the coat and hat from him to use another time. His steps were slow and sluggish, and his tail swayed erratically from side to side as he stumbled into the hotel room. He had intended to be quiet, but two steps in, he tripped over a suitcase and landed flat on his face.

The light in the room came on, and Bill followed by Sabrina peeked over the edge of the bed. Mewtwo groaned, trying to remember how his arms worked long enough to stop the room from spinning and his head from aching.

"Two, are you alright?" Bill asked.

"I'm...fhine," Mewtwo tried to focus enough to speak. Telepathy was out of the question. "Had suh' a great time...at...at the party."

"I would say you did," Bill responded with a smile in his voice. "Answer me one question, truthfully. I won't get angry."

"Knock yerself out."

"Are you drunk?"

Mewtwo grew quiet, then answered. "No."

Sabrina, Bill, Kadabra and Haunter all began laughing. Mewtwo remained on the floor, feeling a blush spread under his fur. He couldn't be mad at them. He had expected Sabrina to blow her top and Bill to warn him about the dangers to his health. Instead they were laughing, and that was the best response he could hope for.

Sabrina finally calmed enough to say, "So, you come in here, trip over a suitcase, land on the floor, reeking of cigarette smoke, and then tell us you haven't been drinking?"

"That's about right."

That set them off again, and Mewtwo managed to pull himself up to a sitting position. He waited until they calmed down again. "Bill, I need your help. There's a trainer I want to challenge."

Bill settled from his giggles. "A trainer challenge? Are you sure you're up for that?"

"Yes. I need to challenge her."

"Seems like you already challenged half the bar to a drinking contest," Sabrina joked.

"No. I'm serious. Shes a trainer in the Junior Divison. And doing very well. I want to challenge her." Mewtwo insisted. "Her name is Sarah."

Bill sobered. "You want to challenge that brat from earlier today. Two, she isn't going to insist on a friendly battle. You saw the way she treated her Pokemon, what makes you think that she will treat an opponent any better?"

"I have my reasons Bill. Please. Let me issue a challenge."

Bill and Sabrina exchanged glances. They weren't sure how much was Mewtwo speaking, and how much was whatever drink he had earlier. Finally Bill shrugged. "Alright. We can discuss details in the morning."

* * *

The next morning, Mewtwo had awoken in his hammock to one heck of a headache and fuzzy memories of the night before. Bill and Sabrina were both out of the room for the time, and Mewtwo was grateful to have it to himself. He picked up his backpack, searching for his headset before remembering that he had left it to charge the night before. His hands closed around a small box in his backpack, and he lifted it out. It was a box of cigarettes, with a note tucked under the cellophane.

_Two,_

_ For when you need them, _

_ Jesse._

Mewtwo smiled, then pulled one of the sweet smelling sticks from the box and searched the room for matches. One strike later he inhaled the bitter sweet smoke and felt his headache fade. One night stumbling in drunk Sabrina and Bill could probably forgive, but he wasn't sure how they react knowing that he had taken up smoking. He took two more breaths, then snubbed it out and replaced the rest in the box, then tucked that back into his backpack.

He showered, and when he came back out, Bill was sitting on the bed with a program spread across his lap.

"Two?" Bill looked up. "There you are."

"Morning. Where's Sabrina?"

"She's speaking on a panel about raising psychic Pokemon. I just got back from filing that challenge you had wanted last night. That's if you still want it," Bill set the program down.

"I do."

Bill nodded. "I had thought so. I had never seen you so dead set on a decision before, drunk or not. Sabrina wanted to wait on it, but I managed to convince her to let you go through with it. After all, we're here for your enjoyment right?"

"Thank you Bill." Mewtwo sat down on his hammock. "When is my first match?"

"You already slept through it. I told the organizers that you weren't feeling well just yet. But they went ahead and let you have the challenge. That's in an hour in the main arena. Sarah has already accepted the challenge. Once again, I want to know why you want to fight her."

Mewtwo sighed, and picked up his headset. Bill had to know. In case anything went wrong, he had to know. "Rumor has it that she has another mewtwo with her. And one way or another, I intend to find out." With that one small admission, Mewtwo began to tell Bill everything.

* * *

_"Welcome Trainers and Pokefans of all ages! This is the first time these two Trainers have been in the same ring! Both are well matched in both speed and skill. In the red corner, is Mewtwo and his Trainer, Pokemon expert Bill!"_ The announcer warmed up the crowd as Mewtwo took the field. Mewtwo was wearing his headset as he took his customary lap around the perimeter. He felt nervous, excited and afraid. Bill had convinced Sabrina to take a spa day. Mewtwo didn't argue. He didn't want her near in case anything went wrong. _"And in the green we have Sarah! An up and coming champ in the Junior Division!"_

As Mewtwo finished his lap, he saw Jesse and Doc waiting on the sidelines. Their plan was simple. As soon as the other mewtwo was called, they would swipe her with a Masterball. Once the mewtwo was secured, then they could deal with the authorities over the matter. All Two had to do was remain calm to coax Sarah into showing her hand.

Bill had been filled in on the plan on the way over, and he was willing to work with them. He leaned over the side of that rail as Mewtwo slid to a stop before him. "Will you be alright?"

_ Yes, I don't have a choice in the matter. If she does have another mewtwo here, then I must try to do something. Even if its a stupid plan like this one._

Bill pulled himself upright. Pokemon ownership was still a grey area, and it made taking Pokemon from an abusive environment difficult. By the time legalities had been satisfied, the Pokemon in question was usually dead or have been moved elsewhere. He watched as Mewtwo took his place on the field.

The green podium on the opposite side rose above the ground. Sarah, in all of her sinister child-like demeanor stood upon it like a princess in waiting. She tossed a Pokeball into the air casually, catching it, then tossing it again. All the while never taking her eyes off Mewtwo.

Bill could see Mewtwo begin to visibly shake. "Calm down."

_ I'm trying..._

"Remember, we are all here for you." Bill said softly as he gave a quick glance at Jesse. He hadn't wanted to trust the woman, but what other choice did he have?

Mewtwo stood ready. Just fight until Sarah showed her hand. That was the plan. Simple enough, yet why did he feel so anxious? A buzzer sounded, indicating the beginign of the match,

"Go Persian." Sarah said softly, catching the ball for the last time, and throwing it onto the field.

A Persian came from the ball and started stalking Mewtwo on the field.

"We've delt with Persians before!" Bill called. "You know what to do!"

Mewtwo started hopping around, both to confuse his enemy, and to burn off the adrenaline going through him. The Persian swiped at his feet, Mewtwo came in close and spun, landing his attack across the cat's face. It came at a price. The Persian raked his claws along Mewtwo's leg.

_ I've been cut!_

"Will you be alright?"

_ Yes, I can still do this!_

"Then use your psychic powers! All or nothing!" Bill hoped that Sabrina could forgive him for being reckless.

Mewtwo formed a black energy ball between his palms, then fired it at the Persian. The crowd began cheering at the psychic display.

"Two..." Bill saw the blood seep from Mewtwo's nose. "Dammit, don't overdo it."

Mewtwo jumped and stomped as the Persian went rolling from the blast. He readied another and fired. The ball hit and the Persian went rolling again, only to reach up and swipe at Mewtwo's leg. _He's working on my leg... If I can just..._ He shot another ball. The Persian slid back, but didn't get back up.

_"What an amazing display of endurance on Mewtwo's part! Seems like the fans are going wild for another psychic display!"_

"Persian. Return." Sarah held the ball out, then put it away. She stood still for a moment, listening to the crowd chant Mewtwo's name. "Well, if that's what they want, Sarah calls..." she looked directly in Mewtwo's eyes. "Mewtwo."

The air at the end of the field seemed to gather, little specks of light began to condense into a shape. Mewtwo felt his heart all but stop as an armored being teleported onto the field. A smell came to him on the wind, the energy in the air somehow familiar, somehow not. _Its true...everything Jesse said is true._

The other mewtwo stood tall and strong in deep purple armor that was far more advanced than anything Two had even worn. He could make out areas where the locking mechanisms had been refined, likewise the psychic focal units. Between the gaps in the armor he saw light pink, almost white fur. His muscles became weak, both in awe and anger at the sight on the field before him. He thought that he had been ready to see this, he thought that he had reasoned with his fears. How wrong he had been.

"Two! Calm down!" Bill shouted. He glanced over to see that Jesse and Doc had left their seats. "Just calm down.." Bill found himself gripping the rail. _I need to calm down first._

Sarah smiled. It was disturbing on her doll-like face. "Mewtwo. Psybeam."

_ Shit. Jesse, Doc, you two had better hurry!_ Mewtwo could feel the others power. It was immense, possibly even beyond what Mewtwo's had once been. Even with the headset, he didn't stand a chance. Mewtwo readied a Barrier, knowing that it was the only defense he had.

Bill watched as the other mewtwo fired a beam of pure blue light. The bolt slammed into, then broke through Mewtwo's barrier, literally shattering it and into the grey Pokemon. "Oh no..." Mewtwo felt his body leave the ground, repelled backward and onto the grass. He rolled a few times, then came to a rest. His chest burned, as did the wound on his leg.

"Hmmph," Sarah smirked. "You are damaged Mewtwo. You no longer have any value." She laughed under her breath.

Mewtwo pulled himself to his feet, trying to read the eyes or thoughts of the other mewtwo. Did he even want to be free? Did he have any idea what it was doing or where he was?

"Did you want more?" Sarah smiled when she saw Mewtwo stand again. "One of these days you will learn to stay down. Mewtwo. Finish him. I want to go home."

The other did nothing for a moment, then slowly raised an arm.

Mewtwo found the strength to use agility to dodge the blast. _Jesse! What is keeping you? _But he answered his own question. They couldn't use the Masterball while the other was still in armor. The armor created a defensive field around it. _He's a prisoner, like I was...If I can break the armor.._ Mewtwo created a volley of black energy balls and threw them. One managed to break through the other mewtwo's barrier and crash into an arm cuff, cracking it enough to blow it off. _Please work,_

Then came what Mewtwo had been waiting for, a voice, a cry. Nothing as refined as words, just an emotion shouted to the heavens. _HELP ME! _

_ I hear you! Fight! Fight the armor!_ Mewtwo used every bit of power he had to get his voice across. He shot another ball, this time aiming for a leg cuff. The other lifted he free arm and clawed at the armor, trying to get the helmet off. Mewtwo ran up the field to assist. The crowd had gone silent, unsure if this was part of the show or for real.

_ Fight it! Fight it! _Mewtwo encouraged. The mewtwo lifted its other hand and returned with another psybeam. The bolt shot out and slammed into Mewtwo's side. Sudden burning pain engulfed his leg, making it numb. He was thrown backward again, father this time, vaguely feeling his body slam into the podium on the opposite end.

"Two!" Bill leaned over.

Mewtwo struggled to his feet once more. _Fight...Fight!_ He started running again even though it was difficult with his leg completely numb.

The other managed to pull the helmet off, little wires snapped and fizzled around it's head. Mewtwo felt sudden emotion overcome him that ignited all his senses. _It's a female...it..._

"Now!" Doc shouted, throwing the Masterball.

The other left her side of the field, the armor clanging on her pretty pink fur. She started running, as the Masterball arched overhead. Over her shoulder Mewtwo watched in horror as Sarah pulled a gun from her vest. _She wouldn't. Not here, not in front of all of these people! _Mewtwo kept running, but seemingly not fast enough. The Masterball descended,

Sarah lowered the gun.

_ Please! Hurry!_

All sound ceased to exist, save for one loud crack.

Mewtwo watched in horror as the pink head tilted sharply forward, her feet left the ground and her body sharply twisted. Her shoulder hit the grass, her momentum pushing her further along, her legs and body hit the ground. _No. _The Masterball fell to the ground a breath too late.

A whisp of smoke left Sarah's gun.

Mewtwo closed the five foot gap by sliding in next to the unmoving pink body.

_ No...Please be all right..._ She was laying on her side. _I can't move her...If I do...I can't..._ He rested his hand on her cheek, feeling he curve of her cheek beneath his palm. Her large magenta eyes closed, seemingly savoring his touch.

_ We...we all...Thank you..._ Her eye half opened, and with one last breath, she was gone.

Mewtwo pulled his hand back as if he had touched something hot. _No.._ He shook her. _No..._ The grass was rapidly becoming red. _No!_ Mewtwo carefully picked her up and rested her head on his shoulder. Shock was settling in. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, their plan had been perfect.

"Two!" Bill jumped off the platform and started running to the field.

Mewtwo looked at the blood covering one arm and his hand, then into the others lifeless eyes. He began ripping the armor off her body, his mind blank, even unaware of the tears running down his own cheeks. _She's gone._ The loneliness came back in an overwhelming rush. The last piece of armor went rolling over the grass. He was unaware of slowly rocking back and forth cradling her, the rest of the world was heartless, cruel.  
_ Why couldn't I save her?_

He slowly laid the other mewtwo out to rest on the grass. Mewtwo looked up setting his hard gaze on Sarah. She fired again. This time Mewtwo was ready. Months spent in meditation had prepared him for this moment, to prevent this injury from every happening again. The bullet stopped six inches away from his face, caught by his sheer will and determination alone. A slow yet steady trickle started from his nose and ears. "Damaged you say? I will what it means to be damaged."

"Mewtwo!" Bill shouted. _I can't believe he stopped the bullet like that!_

Blue light swirled around Mewtwo's feet, forming a barrier, then eventually a shock wave. With a whip-like crack, it shot out around the Pokemon, repealing anything that came near. Bill felt his feet leave the ground and his body become airborne, riding the psychic shock wave. It tossed Bill, several referees, and a few officers that had come to restore peace, away like children's toys. The crowd was in a panic. Bill shouted Mewtwo's name once more before he flew back into the platform. His head hit the concrete wall with a sickening thud and his body slid down, leaving a long bloody smear.

The crowd was screaming and pushing to the exits. Officers tried to calm the crowd but were caught up in the stampede. From her place near Doc, Jesse saw Sarah's body lifted into the air. A blue glow surrounded her as Mewtwo raised both hands and unleashed one attack. _Psyburn._

Jesse covered her ears to try to block the girls screams. She knew it would be suicidal to try to stop Mewtwo until he calmed down. She turned toward Doc. "Get Bill out of here!"

"Ahead of ya Jess!" He vaulted over a concrete barrier, a few of his men ran after him. They formed a guard of sorts as he collected Bill's body.

"Two...Need to help...Two..." Bill said softly. He didn't seem to be aware of his situation.

"Wish we could, but no one is getting near that Pokemon until he calms down!"

Sarah's body fell to the field. Mewtwo turned and looked over his shoulder. He took deep breaths, still trying to keep a grip on his temper. At his feet was the body of the slain mewtwo fem.

_ What?...Bill...I hurt him?_ The red smear on the platform burned into his mind. _No..._ Mewtwo observed the chaos around him as several Masterballs flew his way. _No...I will not be controlled! I will not be contained! _He swatted away the Masterballs, holding his bleeding head. _Bill...I..I'm sorry..._ He began to rise up into the air, only one thought on his mind.

_The Tomb Under the Mountain. East of Celedon._

Jesse ran out of the stadium along with the crowds when she saw Mewtwo take flight. "Why doesn't he stay in one place?!"

Mewtwo cleared the top of the arena. His nose and ears bleeding freely. He shot for the sky, and took off in the direction of Woodland Labs. He only needed to do one thing to set the world right.

* * *

"Bill?" Sabrina ran into the Emergency Room. She had heard on the news that there had been an accident at the Pokemon Finals, and ran here as fast as she could. "Bill? Where are you?" The room was crowded with people, some were hurt, others in a state of shock. A man sat on a stretcher with his arm in a sling. He was shouting something that made her blood run cold.

"That beast needs to be put down! If nobody can control it! It doesn't deserve to live!"

Sabrina turned up a hall filled with more injured. A few nurses were wheeling a stretcher up the hall, Bill was on it. She ran until she caught up to him. "Are you okay? What happened? Where's Two?" He had a bandage wrapped around his head, a little bit of blood seeped through.

"It wasn't Two's fault...It wasn't his fault..." he took her hand, babbling. "Find him...He's hurt bad." The nurses took him away before he could say anything else.

Sabrina turned around to find a room occupied by a Officer Jenny and a girl. Her eyes were wide and blank. The lights were on but nobody was home, and it was all to easy to recognize Mewtwo's psychic signature.

"Sabrina!" Professor Oak came running up the hall. "Did you hear what happened?"

"No! Tell me!" She was both angry and scared. "What's going on? Where's Two?"

"Come on, we'll go to my van outside, I'll explain there," he took her gently by the arm and led her through the crowded emergency room out to the parking lot. She wanted to be at Bills side, but right now the hospital was crowded with confused people. She trusted that Bill was in good hands. Oaks van was a place of quiet and order.

"What happened?" Sabrina sat down on the passenger's side.

"The other trainer brought a Mewtwo of her own."

Sabrina gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh no..."

"The League didn't know about it. We suspect ties to Team Rocket. Two worked on breaking its armor and freed it. The trainer then pulled out a gun and shot it. Mewtwo lost control." Professor Oak gave her a handkerchief. "He took off, flying to the south but we'll be able to find him. He's still wearing his tracking bracelet. Right now we need to stay calm. This might be a little disturbing, but I need to get this body to a Center and in a lab."

"Body?"

"Yes. I confiscated the other Mewtwo's body. It's in the back." Oak sighed, hanging his head.

"You what?" She turned and saw a sheet covering something huge. "Even so, its not like Two to just lose it like that."

"I think Two lost it because that one is female. And...I'm not positive, but she might still be alive."

Sabrina suddenly felt very ill.

* * *

Jesse freed her binoculars from the bag at her side. "There you are..." She put the kickstand on the motorcycle up. She had confiscated one of the Jenny's bikes outside the arena. She had tracked Mewtwo in the air outside the city limits and into the wilderness beyond.

He had flown a good way, but was now descending rapidly. "Either the headset's finally given out or he has. Either way it's not good." She drove down an overgrown trail. The forest suddenly erupted with noise. Jesse looked up as the huge Pokemon came crashing down though the trees. "Great...Hold on Two!" The fresh smell of pine drifted to her. The branches broke and Mewtwo hit the ground with a heavy thud. "Two?" Jesse laid the bike on it's side. "Please be alive..."

Mewtwo had landed on his side, seemingly bleeding from every part of his body. The Persian had cut his leg badly, and the rest of his body had been scratched and gouged by the fall.

Jesse pulled off the headset. "Breathe for me," she tried for a pulse, then felt complete relief when she found one. "Good. I can still save you. First..." She pulled the mall tracking bracelet from his arm. "Forgive me Sabrina, but where we're going, its best if you don't follow." She threw the tracker into a bush, then put the headset in a bag. After a few more minutes of grunt work she had Mewtwo on the motorcycle. She sat down in front of him and started the engine again.

"Damaged." Mewtwo whispered.

"You're not damaged. When did you become conscious anyway?"

"Not sure, where are we going?"

"I've got a safe house nearby. We can regroup and rest up there," she smiled as his hands went around her waist and he rested his head on her shoulder. "And then we finish this once and for all."

* * *

Sabrina looked up from Bills bedside. Professor Oak came in the door. He read her hopeful expression, then shook his head.

"We only found the tracking device, a lot of blood, and a few tire treads," he shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Sabrina looked at Bill who was still sleeping. His head injury was looking worse. "So what now?"

"All we can do is wait."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Revenge

Mewtwo awoke to the smell of cooking and coffee. While he wasn't a fan of bacon, coffee would be welcome. His head, predictably was aching, now joined by the many small pains in his back and leg. The Pokemon opened his eyes to find himself in a small but cozy room with wood paneled walls. A window beside the bed revealed a forest outside. His wounded leg had been bandaged and cleaned of blood, and on a small nightstand sat a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Two lit one and breathed in the bitter smoke. His headache faded as did the pains down his back and leg. His heart felt heavy with memories of the League Finals, of the Other, her cries for help and his ultimate inability to save her. This regret could only be matched by the image burned into his mind of Bill flying backward into the concrete podium at the height of his grief. Bill had done nothing to deserve that, and it felt like a dagger in Mewtwos heart.

He finished the cigarette, then swung his legs off the bed and approached the door. Two stepped into a short hall and followed the smells of breakfast to a small kitchen-dining room. Jesse sat at the table, a mug at her side and a roll of papers spread out before her. Sitting in another chair on top of a pile of books was a Meowth, happily chomping down on some bacon.

Jesse looked up as Mewtwo pulled up a chair for himself and sat. "Good Morning, I was wondering when you would wake up."

Two closed his eyes and levitated a mug from the counter, added his sugar and poured the coffee from the pot then brought it over to him. All that and not even a nosebleed. "Where are we?"

"My safe house near Mt. Moon," she sipped her coffee, then studied the papers before her again.

Mewtwo noticed his headset on the table at her side, and only then directed his attention to the papers. "Hey, are those schematics for my headset?"

"Indeed they are," she answered with a smile. "I liberated them from Oak's lab. But I can't claim all the credit. Meowth helped."

"Ah, alls I did was open a windah," the Meowth said.

"From the inside, after you snuck in."

Meowth shrugged. "No one evah thinks a Pokemon can do bad. But we know bettah," he winked at Mewtwo.

Mewtwo sipped his coffee, then pulled his headset over along with the schematics. "Thank you for your help Jesse, but I've got it from here. I don't want to drag anyone else into this mess with me."

"Oh no you don't," she pulled the schematics back across the table, closer to her. "We do this together or not at all."

"Jesse, you don't understand," Mewtwo took hold of the papers again, and Jesse took an equal grip on the opposite side. "I cannot ask you to accompany me. This is my fight, and I've been foolish to not have embraced it sooner. I don't want anyone else that I've come to care for hurt again."

"You can't do that by pushing everyone away," she tugged harder, but the pokemon was not giving up. "Besides, you don't even know how to get in, or the layout inside the compound."

"I'll figure it out as I go," Mewtwo pulled again and stopped when the paper began to rip.

Jesse let go and sighed. "You are strong, but they are stronger. You can't do this alone Two. Giovanni already knows that we will be coming. After the fiasco at the League Finals, I think he can draw his own conclusions. One added benefit is that further scrutiny has been placed on the Pokemon trading system, so he won't be able to move his collection as soon as he would like, but he will still try to move it. We need to act fast. If not tonight, then tomorrow. Even with your headset, how many bullets do you think you can stop?"

"As many as I need to," Mewtwo growled.

Jesse sipped her coffee again. "You won't be the only Mewtwo there. The entire compound was created to breed, clone and train Mewtwos in an effort to create a perfect and loyal specimen. There will be some there that will fight you to earn their trainers favor. You have yet to battle one of your own species, and I can tell you from my experience, that you will lose."

Those were sobering words, and Mewtwo fell silent.

"But the two of us, we stand a chance. If you watch my back, I will watch yours. Please Mewtwo."

Slowly Mewtwo raised his head and nodded. Meowth remained silent, munching away on his bacon. "Alright." Mewtwo pulled the schematics back over and collected his headset. "I had always wondered what it would be like if this device had more power."

Jesse smiled. "There are two inhibitors, here and here," she pointed. "Its perfectly possible."

Despite the circumstances, Mewtwo smiled. "Hand me that screwdriver."

* * *

Late that evening, with superpotion drying on his leg and a newly-lit cigarette in his hand, Mewtwo climbed aboard the motorcycle behind Jesse. Meowth waited in the window of the cabin, waving goodbye. "You guys have fun, I'll be here taking care of the place as usual. Try not to get too beat up."

Jesse chuckled despite the knowledge that their mission could go wrong. She started the bike, then started down a trail through the trees. "Now just to be sure both of us are on the same page, repeat the plan to me."

Mewtwo leaned in closer and activated the headset. _We approach the west gate and take out the guards. From there we set the security cameras on a test cycle and move through the compound as the cameras shut down and reboot. Our objective is on the fourth sublevel._

"And if we become separated?"

_Continue as planned._

Jesse guided the bike onto a utility road and went cruising at full speed through the trees. "Remember to use your headset sparingly. There are several locations that serve as psychic suppression points. If you try to use your powers there, you will pass out, or burn-out your headset, possibly both."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and meditations. The sun sank lower in the sky, pulling the shadows of the trees longer and thicker until they merged into one thick blanket. Jesse pulled out a pair of night vision goggles and drove while wearing them instead of using the headlights on the bike. She finally pulled the bike to a halt about a mile from their target. Mewtwo stepped off after her.

He couldn't see the compound from here, but the smell in the air along with accompanying heavy silence made him cautious. Jesse rolled the bike closer to a cluster of rocks and scrub, then began to pile bits of deadfall to cover it. "Now all that remains is to hide our tracks."

"I've got it," Mewtwo raised his hand and created a light gust at his finger tips. The small dirt-devil jumped from his palm and down the way they had come, disturbing the dirt and scattering leaves as it went.

"Hmm, neat trick, wish I had thought of it," Jesse tossed the last log into place, then adjusted her boots. The bottoms had been worn smooth so they left no obvious sign of her passing. Mewtwo followed her through the trees, careful to not make any noise or to use his psychic powers. Jesse had told him that the lab was always on the look-out for escapees, and his psychic signature would light up their external security systems.

They moved slowly and methodically for what felt like hours before catching sight of the compound through the trees. From this point it looked the same as any other office building. Compact three story buildings, large expanses of asphalt for parking and one marked as a helicopter landing pad. A concrete and wooden sign marked it as "Woodland Labs" near what Mewtwo assumed was the west gate. There was a small guard house along with several security cameras.

Even though this property seemed normal, there were things that just seemed off. Vehicles that looked like they belonged on a battlefield instead of parked at an office, dark shadows moving along the rooftops, and heavier than normal locks on the doors.

Jesse and Mewtwo approached one huge expanse of parking lot and paused at the tree-line. There was no way they could cross and not be seen, likewise Mewtwo couldn't use his powers to just fly over there either. With no cover and security cameras all around, there was no chance they were going to be able to sneak in.

"Well, glad I brought this along," Jesse reached into her pocket and pulled out a small glass vial filled with blue powder. "Sleep Powder, in its most concentrated form," she gave the vial to Mewtwo. "I'm going to lure the guard outside, think you can do that little Gust trick again?"

Mewtwo nodded. Gust was a wind attack, and didn't require any psychic manipulation. Jesse collected up a few small pebbles, then lobbed them at the guard house. The guard, predictably stepped outside to investigate and Mewtwo sent the little dust-devil on its way with a load of Sleep Powder. The guard looked around, searching the edge of the trees with his flashlight, then took two steps back to the guardhouse and fell to the ground.

Jesse left her hiding place and ran across the lot, grabbing the guard by his shoulders and dragging him back into the guardhouse. Once inside she began shutting down various security systems then gave Mewtwo the all clear signal. Mewtwo also left his hiding place and ran for the guardhouse. He slid inside not a moment before the roof sentries returned to their part of the patrol. Jesse tied up the guard and relived him of his gun, then began a systematic reboot cycle of the security cameras. "If we stick to the plan, the camera's will be in shutdown mode as we move through."

Mewtwo nodded, still a little uneasy around the firearm, but willing to trust her for the moment. "How do we get in?"

"There is an exit over there. It will lead us to a stairwell that we can then take to an upper level and then down to the sub-levels. Remember, most if not all of the halls have sensors to detect psychic powers. Use them only as a last resort. Some of the higher security areas have feedback suppressant systems," Jesse said. "There really is no way to tell which is which though, so be careful."

Once again Mewtwo nodded, then waited with Jesse as the the rooftop guards went on their way. As one they slipped out of the guardhouse and across another smaller parking lot to the main building. They passed a few bushes and Jesse paused at a plain metal door with a simple turn-knob on it. Above the door was a security camera that showed no signs of activation. Jesse pulled her backpack aside and pulled a small black hockeypuck-like device from it.

"Keep back," she attached the device to a place just above the doorknob and then ducked behind a bush. The device beeped once and then began to smoke. The door then swung open slowly.

"What was that?" Mewtwo whispered.

"In Team Rocket we called them 'knock-knocks' they fry the circuits in almost any door. I asked you to keep back because I wasn't sure the door itself wasn't booby-trapped," Jesse opened the door and slipped inside along with Mewtwo. As she shut the door behind them, the security camera came to life again.

As she had said, they scaled the steps before them, climbing to an upper level where Jesse used another knock-knock on the door there. They emerged into a hall with darkened offices to either side and one lone Team Rocket Agent on security detail. With only a thought, Mewtwo grabbed the man from behind, his hand covering the Agents mouth while his other slipped around his waist and his tail bound the mans legs. Jesse pulled out another vial of Sleep Powder and waved it under the Agents nose. Once again she tied her victim up and left him in one of the offices.

"Got his pass card, good. I can save my knock-knocks," she continued confidently up the hall. "Where did you learn to restrain someone like that?"

Mewtwo shrugged. "Not the first time I've had to deal with an uninvited guest."

"Good to know," she stepped into a smaller hall where there were three elevators. Using the pass card she opened the one on the far wall and they stepped inside. Mewtwo noted another security camera, but before he could cut the cable, Jesse stopped him. "Tamper with one and they all go off," she pulled her bag aside again and pulled out some lipstick. Mewtwo chuckled as she then colored in the lens of the camera.

Once again using the pass card, Jesse opened a secret panel on the elevator, showing seven more sub-levels. She then read a sequence of numbers from a card Doc had given her at the bar and began to tap them into the side panel.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Too long," Jesse hit the enter key and they held their breaths.

_Accept._

Jesse and Mewtwo let out a shared sigh and the elevator began to travel downward. Mewtwo waited tense moments before asking, "What happens when this door opens?"

"Then the real challenge begins. The sub-levels are a maze and can change as the need arises. The door should open into another hall. Avoid the labs. We are looking for storage bays 7P and 9Q," Jesse closed her eyes, as if seeing their destination in her minds eye. "Our inside contact will have shut down the suppression grid in those areas so we can work."

The elevator stopped and Jesse raised her gun. Mewtwo, at a loss for what he could do, stood behind her. The door slid open and there was only a dimly-lit gray hallway beyond. The floor was rough concrete, and the walls were some kind of heavy-plastic material that had the look of metal. There was no decoration, or maps of any kind. It was as cold and inhospitable as a military bunker.

As soon as Mewtwo stepped off the elevator, he felt it. A greasy kind of suppression that made his teeth ache and his head hurt. His thoughts felt small and slippery, like drops of water in a tin can. He paused for a moment, gaining his bearings.

"You feel it? The suppression system?"

Mewtwo nodded, then followed after her. What had been a simple hall before was now a strange twisted corridor. He began to grow steadily more confused. Colors began to invert in his vision. The gray walls were now shades of pink and red. His muscles became weak the more he pressed on.

"Come on Two, I know how you feel, but hold my hand and we will make it," Jesse reached out and looped her arm over his shoulders and led him onward. She was right, the more he moved, the more his vision began to clear and his headache faded.

"How many more of those are down here?"

"They're all over the place," Jesse suddenly dropped to one knee behind Mewtwo as a few agents came around the corner down the hall, leaving Mewtwo exposed and leaning on the wall.

"Escapee!" shouted one, but before she could reach for her radio, Jesse fired from behind Mewtwo, then girl fell, clutching her leg. Her companion turned to run and Jesse fired again, hitting him in the back.

It was all over so quickly, that Mewtwo barely had time to register that anything had happened. Jesse jumped from behind his back and ran down the hall. Mewtwo half stumbled after her, but paused when she stopped over the whimpering form the of the girl.

Jesse cooly raised her firearm and put a bullet between the Agents eyes.

Mewtwo stood frozen to the spot, watching the girls blood flow across the gray floor. "Why? Why did you do that?" he looked to Jesse.

"Would you rather I let her go to tell the others?"

"No, but...you didn't have to kill her!"

"She would have done the same to us Mewtwo. This girl has personally slain many of your kind. This is no longer the friendly world of Pokemon battles. Down here its kill or be killed. Now come on."

Mewtwo shivered. Is this the kind of sacrifice that Mew had meant? Mewtwo had always been ready to die to protect the ones he loved, but was he ready to kill for them too?

"Lets go," Jesse insisted.

Slowly Mewtwo raised one foot and then the other, and began to follow Jesse. He glanced over his shoulder at the body on the floor. Nameless, faceless and dead. Just as the other had been at the Finals. He turned and began a full hopping run after Jesse. If Team Rocket had been unsure there had been a break-in, their suspicions were confirmed now.

Mewtwo couldn't keep track of all the twists and turns. There were only the same gray halls and occasional bouts of mental distortion to mark the passage of distance and time. During their run, Jesse had killed two others before tossing the empty gun away. They had climbed up and down numerous flights of steps and along more corridors before finally finding themselves before a large vault-like door with "7P" stenciled on.

Jesse took out another of her knock-knocks and placed it on the large vault handle, then ducked back and to the side. Mewtwo did likewise on the opposite side of the door. The knock-knock beeped, then began to smoke. Jesse cursed and removed another one.

"Wait, I can get this," Mewtwo stood before the door and extended his arm.

"Mewtwo wait, it might be too soon," Jesse warned.

"I don't feel a suppression system here. I can do this," Mewtwo used the headset to magnify his power. He could feel every tumbler and bolt within the door as if he had rested his hand on them himself. With just the barest of psychic impulses, he turned the tumblers and bars into position, then pulled the door open. Jesse stood as the door swung open and gasped despite herself.

The room beyond was immense. Tall pillars held up the ceiling and stretched as far as Mewtwo could see. The floor was made of the same gray concrete, and everywhere shelves were loaded with every variety of Pokeball. The shelves were labeled by type with rarer ones locked in glass security cases. There were acres of Pikachus and Onyx, a whole stable of Clefairy, and an entire section dedicated to Shiny types. "There must be...hundreds of thousands...if not millions in this room alone," Mewtwo gasped.

"Well, now we start on making a dent in it," Jesse turned and pulled the huge vault door shut, then turned the massive wheel to lock all the tumblers back in place. "We're right in Hollidays time frame. The suppression system is down so lets make her sacrifice worth it."

"Right," Mewtwo nodded then approached the first shelf. He turned up his headset and hit a special toggle on the left side that he and Jesse had installed earlier. It helped with his teleportation abilities, and was programmed with a shortcut that defaulted to Oaks Ranch. Jesse pulled out a roll of trash bags from her backpack and began running down the line, filling them as she went and leaving them in the aisle.

Mewtwo began teleporting batches away, along with the occasional bag that he came across. Entire shelves vanished, bolts and all, before him, but there were still so many. He couldn't do this alone. He hopped down the aisles and located a shelf filled with Alakazams. Mewtwo activated the Pokeballs and was soon joined by five of the most powerful he could find. It didn't take much to fill them in on the plan, and soon even more shelves began vanishing as they went separate ways.A few more Pokemon joined the mix, assigned to help Jesse or Mewtwo in collecting and teleporting the Pokeballs away.

They were able to work undisturbed for fifteen minutes before the vault door exploded inward. Team Rocket agents then flooded the room, shooting off canisters of tear-gas and other elements designed to cause confusion. Mewtwo had lost sight of Jesse, but still continued to find her bags as he cleared shelves. Distantly he heard gun fire on the opposite side of the room and a psychic grunt as one of the Alakazams went down. Jesse had been right, they had no reservations about killing pokemon, so why should he have any second thoughts about killing them?

Mewtwo overturned a nearby shelf, spilling a few pokeballs across the floor. Several fire-types broke free of their prisons and Mewtwo entered their minds with a thought. He ordered them to keep the humans away and to protect the other Pokemon. It didn't take any brainwashing or fancy tricks to convince them, the Pokemon knew what was at stake and rushed in. A Typhlosion even overturned a shelf of his own to free up more Pokemon for the coming battle.

With the new players in the field, the sound of gunshots and human voices intensified, as did the roars and calls of many angry and frightened Pokemon. Mewtwo kept low, coughing from the smoke and looking for Jesse. He found one of her trash bags filled with Pokeballs and extended his power to teleport it away. Instantly he felt the full fury of the psychic suppression system. All the power he had used came slamming back into his mind, causing him to cough and stumble away. Once again he was powerless, but as Bill and Sabrina had been telling him all this time, powerless did not mean helpless.

Another gas canister landed nearby, and Mewtwo kicked it away, coughing and seeking cover away from the bullets flying overhead. More and Pokemon began to fill the room as Pokeballs opened. As much as Mewtwo had wanted to help, they were on their own now. He watched dim shapes through the smoke gather bags of Pokeballs and begin to run with them.

"Jesse!" Mewtwo called out above the chaos. He came out of hiding and covered his mouth. The room now had no landmarks he could navigate, only overturned shelves, unforgiving pillars and thick smoke. "Jess!"

There was a sudden and all-too-familiar click by his ear. Mewtwo froze in place as the warm muzzle of a gun rested against his temple. "Jesse is no longer your concern."

The smoke lifted for a moment, like a funeral shroud, revealing Giovanni with Jesse unconscious at his side. The Leader of Team Rocket removed his gas mask and just like that, the gunshots and chaos ended abruptly. The smoke cleared in patches exposing the bodies of the Pokemon that had fought, as well as a few Team Rocket agents they had taken to the afterlife with them. Mewtwo drew some small satisfaction that there were not as many Pokeballs in the room any longer. He wondered how many were able to escape before the suppression field had turned on.

"You've made a lovely mess of my collection. And I see that my wonderful ex-wife helped to make it all possible. But your efforts fall far too short, much too late," Giovanni took a step back, Mewtwo still in his sights at point-blank range. "In the end, its fortunate that you have come to me, it has saved me the trouble of going to Saffron and holding that pathetic Gym Leader and her Expert boyfriend hostage. Accept your fate as all the others have."

Mewtwo had never felt so exposed. The psychic suppression system was in full effect now. He could feel its greasy tang smeared over his mind. Mewtwo was had. There was no way he was going to escape from this one. He could turn and run, or he could attempt to take Giovanni. The Team Rocket Leader seemed to read the small flickers of calculation in Mewtwos eye and didn't take the chance.

Giovanni fired. The shot sounded deafening in the sudden silence of the room. Mewtwo turned to advance on Giovanni, when his headset exploded. The Pokemon's head snapped backward in a shower of blood. Mewtwo took a half-step then dropped to the floor. Giovanni slipped his gun back in its holster then heaved Jesse up onto his shoulder.

"Clean up this mess."

* * *

Sabrina opened the door to their Saffron home, then carried in a load of groceries. Bill was a step behind her with the rest. It was early in the morning, and neither could sleep well. They were quiet as they went to the kitchen to drop their purchases on the counter top, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Go sit down love," Bill leaned in close to Sabrina, and gave her a little kiss on the cheek.

"I'm fine hon. I should be asking the same of you. How is your head this morning?" Sabrina began unpacking the bags.

"Its fine," he stood beside her, in silence once more as then unpacked the bags, putting away the food in appropriate cabinets and shelves in the fridge. Bill paused when he removed a bag of snap peas from the bag before him. Snap peas were one of Twos favorite foods. They were something that Sabrina always kept in the home in case Two wanted them. It had been three days since he had disappeared from the Finals.

Bill has escaped with a minor head injury. A bit of swelling, nothing more. He felt guilty for not telling Sabrina what he and Two had been planning with Jesse, and his wife was none to happy when he did finally come clean. The Finals had pressed on, and Professor Oak had returned to his home with the body of the female mewtwo. Neither he or Sabrina had heard from him since.

Bill put the bag of snap peas in the fridge, and finished up with the rest of the groceries. Sabrina was already making a pot of coffee. Overcome with a sudden sense of melancholy, Bill embraced his wife from behind. They shared another moment in silence before parting.

Sabrina removed three mugs from the cabinet, and Bill didn't bother to correct her. Two would be back. Both of them knew it. They couldn't get down over his absence, both of them knew in their heart of hearts that he would return.

* * *

Mewtwo wasn't dead. He knew that. He thought that he had died. He remembered the gunshot, and his body growing weak, he remembered being unable to move. But my some chance or twist of fate, the bullet had hit his headset, distorting its trajectory just enough to graze his skull. His ripped skin bleed like a beast, but he was alive, stunned, but alive.

The Rocket Agents had grabbed him by his legs and tail and began to drag him across the floor and toward a chute that had opened in the floor. His body, along with the bodies of the other slain Pokemon were dragged toward the chute. Like so much meat they were tossed and pushed over the edge. Mewtwo began falling. His mind and senses flared to life again, almost painfully as he left the psychic suppression field. He hit the sides of the chute, tumbling end over end until instincts took over and he used a bit of his psychic power to steady himself in the air.

He slammed into a meaty pile in the dark, then tucked his knees in, covered his head with his hands and wrapped his tail protectively around himself. The bodies of the other Pokemon rained down around him. Mewtwo winced at every impact, almost jumping when a large weight slammed into him. Then all was dark and silence.

Mewtwo breathed heavily, his arms and legs tight in the darkness. Very slowly he relaxed his limbs, the sensation of movement returning was almost painful. He couldn't remember the last time he was in such stark blackness. Slowly he rolled over to his stomach, the cooling body of the unfortunate Alakazam shifted from his back and fell to his side. He was surrounded by the dead, and he struggled to keep that thought from his mind. Mewtwo reached out to determine the dimensions of his prison.

His hand settled on another and he heard a light gasp. The hand was cold and firm, and had three fingers. Mewtwo let go, his hands began to shake as he started to crawl. His fingers and palms rested on more cold softly furred flesh. The familiar swell of hips and legs, hard bone of thin arms, the leathery feel of feet. Mewtwo froze when his hand rested on the gently curve of a cheek. He felt sunken eyes and hard yet long ears at the crown of the head, and a slight muzzle.

Another mewtwo.

Unbidden, a sob came from Mewtwo's throat. This was only one body, there were others, so many others. Each one a mewtwo. Sobs of sorrow and even fear filled the still air around him. Finally his hands felt the cool metal wall of the chute and he struggled to pull himself up to his feet. His footing was unsure atop the pile of bodies, his two-toed feet searched for purchase on the waxy cold flesh. Slowly he traveled around the exterior of the chute until his hip hit a protrusion from the wall.

His hands explored the strange piece of metal, and he felt his spirits rise when he determined that it was a door handle. Using the last of his strength, Mewtwo pulled the handle and the door opened outward. He stumbled into a room, almost blindingly bright compared to the darkness of the chute. Closing his eyes, Mewtwo closed the door, not wanting to see the horrors of that place in full light. His minds eye was clear enough. For a moment he stood with his back to the door as if to lock away the vision forever. His eyes gradually adjusted to the light in the room, and once again he felt exposed and out of place.

It was a lab, very much like the one he had been created in on New Island. Cloning tanks lined one wall, most of them were empty, save for a three at the end. A scientist stood with his back to Mewtwo at a terminal. She tapped away furiously at a keyboard. Mewtwo watched as she finished the sequence and one of the tanks on the far wall began to groan. The tank contained a tiny mewtwo kitten. Mewtwo watched in horror as a blue solution entered the tank, it fell in smoky streaks, obviously heavier than the amniotic fluid already in the tank. The blue solution touched the kitten and it twitched once, then stopped struggling. The now deep purple solution fell to the bottom of the tank and was flushed away. The computer screen flashed a file number, then the words TERMINATED scrolled across the bottom of the screen.

There were no words. Mewtwo made no sound as he crossed the room in two long strides. The woman turned at the last moment, and before she could even draw breath to gasp in surprise, Mewtwo's clenched fist connected with her jaw. The womans head twisted sharply, ripping her black hair from its bun. She collapsed to the floor and Mewtwo stepped over her unconscious body and approached the terminal.

He thumbed through numerous tabs and files, each one bearing a sterile project number, and each one listed as terminated. Mewtwo grew more desperate as he opened files and scan-searched databases. He opened a folder labeled "to be processed" and let out an exasperated cry of his own. There was one kitten still listed as living in this lab, as well as twenty other specimens in holding cells. Mewtwo pulled up a map of the sub-level and memorized the layout and locations of the still living specimens. Satisfied that he had extracted all the information he could, he knelt next to the woman and began searching her for a key card as he had seen Jesse do on the upper levels.

Mewtwo pulled her key card free and read the womans name, "Blackwell," she was attractive for a human although she looked nothing like her identification holo now with a red-blue bruise spreading down the side of her face. Two rose to his feet and raised one foot. He could end her life now just as effortlessly as she had ended the life of the kitten in the tank. Ultimately he lowered his foot back down. He was many things, but he swore that he would never again be a killer.

He searched the lab for the remaining tank, trying to ignore the deep purple clouds at the bottom of many of the tanks along the walls. On his second lap around the lab, Mewtwo located the kitten. It was in a tank in the center of the floor with many more monitors and computer terminal nearby. The kitten was so tiny, smaller even than the other one, with a tail so long it would make Mew jealous. The kittens most stunning feature was the stark ghost-white color of its thin fur. Mewtwo searched for a release switch and found a card reader. He ran Blackwells card through and the reader beeped, then flashed the word "Denied."

Mewtwo should have known that it would never be that easy.

He tried the card again, only to be denied again. This time the screen read "LV1 Clearance Only." Mewtwo looked at the card, which read LV2 next to Blackwells name. He began wishing that he had one of Jesse's knock-knocks. The kittens vitals were still stable. Weak but stable. Mewtwo rested his hands against the glass. The tube was designed to slide upward. Perhaps if he tried the terminal at the side he could find a release key?

Before he could begin, he heard the sounds of a keyboard across the lab. Blackwell was up and off the floor again, tapping away at the keys. Mewtwo looked up at the top of the tank as the canisters containing the blue solution moved into place. With a cry, he shot an electric attack at the mechanisms frying the motors. Blackwell chuckled, the sound was muffled around her swollen jaw. "Touche."

Mewtwo turned to put her down again, then watched her hand fall and hit another key. A countdown began on the screen behind her. "What did you?"

"It always amazes me when one of you speaks as if expecting an answer. For the sake of closure I'll tell you. In thirty minutes this entire compound will blow. Taking everything inside with it. So what will it be First? Will you try to rescue the dregs of your species, or will you try to rescue the friend that got you here? You only have time for one," Blackwell removed her lab coat and tossed it on a chair, then walked out calmly.

Mewtwo almost gave chase, but then turned back to the kitten. He didn't have time to play around. For a moment he wondered what Sabrina or Bill would have him do in a time like this. An idea hit him. He took a few steps back, then made a running jump-kick at the tank. It reverberated, but didn't give. "Come on..." Mewtwo ran again, and again, each time his foot glanced off easily. He searched the room for a chair or some other hard object he could use, finally he settled for ripping a pipe from the wall.

Bellowing loudly he swung the pipe and this time succeeded in creating a thin crack across the glass. He swung twice more before the pipe bent uselessly in half. Undeterred, Mewtwo ran at the tank again, landing his kick on the thin fault lines. Between the combined fury of his fists and feet, the cracks began to spread, until the air seemed to split with a loud crack as the water pressure inside the tank pushed the weakened glass outward. He stood in the flood, pulling away shards of glass to widen the gap. His cut and bleeding hands held the kitten steady until the water level had subsided.

For a long moment, Mewtwo breathed deeply, cuts that he didn't know he had began to bleed from the glass. Very carefully he removed the kitten from the glass womb, and pulled it close. The computer at his side beeped loudly as the small sensors disconnected from the small white body. Mewtwo could feel the kittens weak heartbeat, but didn't detect any breathing. "Come on...we've come this far, don't give up now..."

He rubbed the small back, trying to stimulate the small body into reacting. Finally he settled for pinching the kittens side the kitten gasped, drawing in its first breath. Mewtwo felt relief and happiness spread through his chest. Wrapping the kitten up in Blackwells discarded labcoat, Mewtwo went to finish his mission.

* * *

Time was running short. The halls were bigger than Mewtwo had given them credit for. He moved at full run, holding the bundle containing the kitten tightly to his chest with one hand and Blackwells key card in the other. As he passed by cells containing others, he swiped the card then threw the doors open. The first cell he encountered contained an unassuming mewtwo of indeterminate age with golden fur and bright purple eyes. Mewtwo had wanted to speak to him, had wanted to embrace or learn his name or history. Instead Mewtwo only said a few words. "Hurry, this lab is going to blow up in fifteen minutes. Help me free the others."

And just like that, the golden furred mewtwo jumped to his feet and fell into step behind Mewtwo. Two would open the doors and the other would relay information. The psychic suppression systems were in full effect here. Some of the mewtwos would cower in the rear of the cells, refusing to move for fear of punishment, others were already waiting at the doors, shouting for assistance.

Mewtwo freed another of his kind with green fur, who then helped him rescue another with dark blue fur and blood-red stripes. Together they pulled a pale pink female from her cell. Two didn't even know if they had names, or if they only referred to each other by numbers. Either way, they all had to get out.

The pink fem approached Mewtwo and offered to take the kitten. Reluctantly, Mewtwo gave her the wrapped bundle, then turned to the green male. "Here, this pass card will open the other cells and give you access to the computer terminals. Use it to get everyone out of here."

The green one turned and began rounding up the others. The blue and red one reached out and grabbed Mewtwo's arm. None of the imprisoned mewtwos could speak with the suppression systems on, yet the gesture was clear. "There is one other that I need to save. Go. Make sure everyone gets out safely."

The blue and red nodded, then joined the green male again. Mewtwo watched them go, momentarily stunned that his kind, _his kind_, could come in such a rainbow of colors. They made for the exits, overwhelming Team Rocket Agents that were foolish enough to step in to their path. Mewtwo made a vow to track down all of the others later. He would learn about them, hold them, speak to them and train them as needed, but later. Now he had a few loose ends to tie up.

Mewtwo went his separate way, forcing open the door on an elevator shaft, and partially flying up it to reach the higher levels. The map he had viewed in the lab held all the information he needed. As he encountered the suppression fields he gripped the ladder on the inside of the shaft and climbed upward until he cleared the field, and resumed flying again.

He forced open another set of doors and emerged into a more familiar office area on the ground floor. Even here the chaos that he had caused down below echoed in the actions of the various Agents. Hordes of black clothed humans evacuated the facility, some of them taking shots at the mewtwos that escaped alongside them. Other Agents tried to maintain discipline and order. Mewtwo broke out of a window and went rolling along the ground. Distantly he heard the sound of a helicopter begin to start up.

"No you don't..." Mewtwo hissed. He hovered above the ground and began searching for the helipad. Psychic alarm systems be damned, it was too late for any kind of warning now.

Mewtwo spied Giovanni walking briskly from one large building, a team of six Agents around him armed with guns. Jesse was being held at gun point by Giovanni as he made his way to the helicopter. With his adrenaline already high, Mewtwo closed in on Team Rocket leader. His guards turned as one and began to fire. Mewtwo cursed and backed away, seeking cover behind a few trees.

_Pssst._

Mewtwo looked to his side and saw the green mewtwo taking cover in the same tree...and armed with a grenade launcher. Where he acquired it was anyone's guess. "Do you know how to use that thing?" Mewtwo asked.

_ Names Boris...demolitions. First attack I ever learned was Explode followed by Firespin. Encountered some poor soul on my way up here, scoured his mind for all the information I needed. I'll make sure that chopper doesn't leave the ground._

Mewtwo nodded, so they did have names. He was still amazed at the novelty of sitting beside another of his species. "Just...don't hit the red-head. She's an ally."

_Aye sir._ Boris raised the grenade launcher to his shoulder, and with a little more glee than Mewtwo found comfortable, lined up the sight and fired. The projectile arched as nicely as anyone could ask, breaking through the windshield of the helicopter and exploding within the cockpit with a brief flash of orange followed by smoke. _Now for the fuel tanks. Lucas, toss me another!_

_Right-o!_ Lucas, the dark blue and red one reached into a crate at his side and playfully tossed another shell to Boris, who caught it easily and reloaded the launcher. By now the guards had turned their attention to the trees, and Mewtwo along with the others made a hasty retreat.

Mewtwo flew low to the ground, ducking under their line of fire as he advanced on them. As he came closer he released Psychic, one of the most impressive attacks in his arsenal. Three of the Agents were repelled backward, while the other three tried to form a defensive wall between Mewtwo and Giovanni. As soon as their backs were turned, Boris fired his second grenade, this time landing the hit on the helicopter's gas tanks.

The helicopter exploded dramatically, the sound was echoed by the charges that Blackwell had set far underground as they began to detonate. The remaining three Agents along with Giovanni were blasted across the parking lot. Slowly Mewtwo advanced on Giovanni, blood running freely from his ears and nose along with numerous cuts on his person.

"Come any closer and I shoot her," Giovanni picked Jesse up from the concrete and set his pistol against her head.

Mewtwo paused in his advance. He knew that the other mewtwos were taking up positions around them, hiding in the trees and brush. How he knew was still a mystery to him. It was as if just by seeing each other the all joined into a collective consciousness. _This is my fight._ Mewtwo sent. _ I started this fight, I will finish it. All of you, go. Scatter to the winds. We will find each other later._

Giovanni and Mewtwo stared each other down, and Mewtwo noted that once again things had come full circle. Once again they stood in the ruins of a lab, encircled by flames, but things would be different this time. There would be no more experiments, no more abuses to the Pokemon of this world. Mewtwo doubted that he could wipe the humans mind clean again this time without causing major damage.

On second thought, that was exactly what he needed.

"Put Jesse down, she doesn't need to be part of this," Mewtwo said softly. Jesse was fully awake and conscious now, her blue eyes pleaded with him to run.

"And lose my only hostage?" Giovanni smirked. "No. I will never surrender to you. I created you, I even created more of you. I can have as many of you as I like now. All of the secrets of the Mews have been unlocked and opened due to my funding and work. Not even the Pokegods stand in my way."

"And yet you still hide behind a woman?" Mewtwo couldn't help but comment.

"You have a point," Giovanni pushed Jesse toward Mewtwo, then shot her in the back as she stumbled.

Mewtwo caught her as she fell, then raised an arm just as Giovanni trained the gun on his head once more. With a mental roar, Mewtwo unleashed his last remaining attack, a Psyburn, drawing on the despair in his soul to give it more energy and power. Giovanni grabbed his head and screamed as Mewtwo's psychic energy ripped across his brain and through his nervous system, erasing his memories and ambitions, true to the name of the attack, _burning_ away all aspects of the man he once was.

The gun dropped from his hand, clattering against the pavement. Giovanni followed, slumping over wide-eyed and drooling.

For several long moments, Mewtwo stood with his arm outstretched, his mind and body so numb he wondered if he was even still alive. He watched the fallen Team Rocket leader take shallow breaths, a prisoner of his own mind inside that meaty shell. He lowered his arm and a cold wind suddenly blew, and for a moment Mewtwo caught a mental ghost-like image of a massive white Pokemon standing over Giovanni's fallen from. Then it was gone.

Another rumble sounded deep underground, and Mewtwo knelt, picking Jesse up and placing her on his back. "How are you?"

"About as good as one c-c-can expect after g-g-getting shot," Jesse stammered. "Leave me...get out of here."

"You know I won't do that," Mewtwo started heading for the treeline. The other mewtwos were gone, as he had instructed them. Woodland Labs began to crumble and burst into flames behind them. He found the trail they had taken hours ago and followed it with the intent of locating the motorcycle.

Mewtwo took three steps and his foot disturbed something in the leaves. He glanced down to see the prone body on the soft pink fem that he had given the kitten to. She had been shot several times. For a moment Mewtwo couldn't even summon up sadness. He was still in shock over recent events. Instead he knelt down and rolled her over onto her back. Across her thigh was a barcode. He never knew her name, only a series of lines that indicated a number. Jesse remained quiet, although he could hear her breath sticking in her throat on the verge of tears.

He searched the ground around the fem, looking for the kitten. Did someone take it? Did they shoot her and steal her precious cargo? Mewtwo scanned the forest floor, the leaves, the trees, and exhaled heavily when he gaze rested on the little white bundle stowed in the crook of a tree.

Holding the bundle tightly against his chest, he slowly shuffled through the forest, toward the motorcycle and hopefully civilization.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Recovery

"Borring..." Officer Jenny threw down her hand of cards. "I'm tired of solitaire. Not too busy of a night," she yawned, then looked up out of her window as a long gray pokemon with a purple tail passed by. "Hey...was it carrying something?" she jumped over her desk and opened the door. It was most certainly a Pokemon of some kind run/hopping up the street. She could still make out its vague silhouette in the early morning light. "What is that?" she started her motorcycle and followed closely behind.

Mewtwo slammed in to the hospital doors. They gave way under his pressure and opened smoothly. The receptionist behind the counter covered her mouth, and reached for her phone. Mewtwo slid Jesse off his back and propped her up against the counter. "Are you alive?" he asked her.

"Unfortunately, Yes." her voice sounded scratchy. "You're leaving?"

"I need to," Mewtwo glanced up as a few orderlies came running up the hall.

"I'm never going to see you again am I?" her bruised eyes looked up at him.

Mewtwo knelt so he was on her level. "Maybe you will, but it depends on how strong you are," he rubbed his thumb over her swollen lip. The scooted a little closer.

"Don't leave me...You've-"

"Shhhh..." He leaned in and kissed her forehead gently. "Thank you for everything."

Jesse felt her strength leave as he pulled away. A little trail of blood followed him as he went out the door. _How much blood can he afford to lose?_ A stretcher pulled up in front of her.

"You'll be alright Ma'am. Just relax."

"Hey, where did that Pokemon go?"

Jesse closed her eyes, finally allowing herself a moment to relax and let the events of the night fade into distant memories.

"Miss. You're gonna be okay, there's no need to cry."

_ Yes there is..._

* * *

_Almost there..If I can just...Almost there._ Mewtwo ran despite the burn in his legs and lungs. His feet had given up on being numb and were now causing pain every time they hit the ground. He was too afraid to sleep or even stop for fear that he wouldn't get back up again.

He tackled through an iron gate and muttered an apology, then ran up the long gravel driveway. The front door was just ahead. He was almost there. He was almost home.

Mewtwo's face hit the brass door knocker just as his legs gave out. His full weight slammed into the door. The frame threatened to give, but thankfully stayed up. He looked up at the night stars and closed his eyes. _I'm home._

* * *

Sabrina and Bill sat up simultaneously when a loud crash echoed down stairs.

"Bill?" Sabrina grabbed his arm.

"I'll go, stay up here," Bill climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants then opened the bedroom door and crept down stairs. "Who's there?" he said aloud.

"Haunt."

"I know that wasn't you," Bill turned on a light and looked at the front door. It looked like someone tried to beat it off the hinges. He grabbed a heavy cane and advanced slowly. "I'm going to open it, and Haunter, you Night-Shade any bad guys got it?"

"Haunt!" The ghost saluted.

Bill swung the door open then shouted in surprise when a body fell inside.

Sabrina heard the scream. "Bill? What's wrong? What is it?"

"Stay up there!" he turned on the porch light then feel to his knees. "Arceus, please no..." he ran his fingers down the bloody face. His voice slowly came back. When it did he took a deep lungful of air and shouted. _"Sabrina, call an ambulance, its Two!"_

"Two?" Sabrina ran down the stairs then covered her mouth when she reached the bottom. "Is he..."

"I don't know," Bill wiped away his tears. "Call an ambulance. We'll get him to the Center."

Sabrina ran into the kitchen. "Don't move him!"

"I'm not," Bill waited next to the body until an ambulance arrived escorted by Officer Jenny.

"Man this looks bad..." Jenny looked down. "Okay, we gotta work quickly! Hurry!"

The paramedics jumped out of the ambulance and carefully rolled Mewtwo onto a stretcher.

"Sabrina, you go with Two. I'll lock up and follow in the car." Bill started wiping the blood off his hands.

"Okay." Sabrina kissed him, then climbed into the ambulance. "Two..."

Bill watched the ambulance pull away, and went back inside the house. He noticed a small white tied up bloody bundle on the grass outside. "Now what is that?" He walked over and picked it up, then tried the knots. They were stuck. "hmmmm" A moment later Bill arrived in the kitchen and began attacking the knots with scissors. He cut away one end, and a thin white tail feebly twitched. "Oh...Two..." he opened it a little more, then grabbed the bundle and ran for the car.

* * *

"Joy!" Bill ran into the Pokemon Center. "Joy!"

"Quiet down. She's in the back with Two," Sabrina said from the corner. "They're not sure he'll make it. They said that..." she wiped her eyes. "They said that he's lost too much blood. They have no idea how long it will take him to heal. _If_ he makes it. They can't even stabilize his condition."

"Sabrina, he won't die." Bill said with confidence.

"You're always such an optimist Bill," she said bitterly.

Bill had learned his lesson to not challenge Sabrina when she was in one of her moods. "Love, he has this to live for," he handed her a bundle of blankets.

Sabrina moved aside a corner. "Oh my..."

"Two had it with him. We didn't see it. The little thing was wrapped in a lab coat under one of the bushes outside."

Sabrina looked down at the little kitten. "I think he's crying..."

"He? Crying? How can you tell love?"

"Tears...and I just guess its a boy," she wiped a few off the little white face. "I wonder if..." she stood up and went into the back room carrying the baby. "Joy."

"Oh Mrs. Sabrina, I told you to wait out there," Joy sighed.

"Bill just brought this. He said Two had been carrying it," she opened the blanket.  
Joy gasped, her entire demeanor changed. "Well, it my expert opinion I say it looks like a baby mewtwo!"

Sabrina groaned. "Gee? Ya think?"

Joy took the bundle from her. "Come on, I'll do a check-up," she led her to into a small room. Bill poked his head around the corner and watched.

Joy laid the baby down on a padded table. "I suppose this is what a newborn mewtwo kitten would look like," she unwrapped the blanket. "Solid white. I wonder why he doesn't open his eyes?"

"Maybe mewtwo's don't open their eyes until a certain age." Bill theorized. "You know, like baby Meowths."

Sabrina folded the blankets. "He looks like he's crying."

"Yes," Joy checked his pulse. "He isn't making any noise...I wonder why?"

"Man I'm starving," Sabrina mumbled.

"But you just...Hey! That's it! He's hungry!" Joy tickled the tiny stomach. "I'm not sure...given Two's eating habits..." she started mumbling to herself. "I'll be back," she left Bill and Sabrina alone in the room.

"So you're Two's kid..." Sabrina leaned over him. "How did he get you? What happened to him out there? What about Jesse?" she smiled and giggled when the kitten yawned and curled his tiny fingers around her own.

"Hmmm...I wonder why he has four fingers..." Bill came over. "Two only has three."

"Does it matter?" Sabrina scratched the kittens chin. "Welcome to the family little guy."

* * *

Bill walked slowly into Mewtwo's recovery room. "Hey there," he sat down and placed his hand on Mewtwo's head. "You really did go and do it this time," Bill spoke to the still and quiet form of his best friend. He tried to survey the damage now that all the blood had been wiped away. There were butterfly stitches above one ear, a few IV's running into one arm the other was too sprained or something. Joy had to put the rest in his one "good" leg and his tail. A broken collar bone caused by god-knew-what, pulled muscles all over his body, and one long gash down his leg and across his ankle. All those in addition to the fading scars from the league games. "Oh Two, what happened?" Bill ran his hand down the grey/purple arm. "I suppose it's for the best that you're asleep."

Mewtwo's hand slowly closed around Bills. _I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused._

Bill's spirits lifted. "Two?" a drop of blood ran from Mewtwos nose. "Don't do that anymore. Save your strength."

_ I'm not pulling out of this one._

"Yes you are!" Bill insisted. "Don't tell me you've fought this long just to give up now?"

_ I wanted to save the kitten._

"And he still needs you. Please! Don't give up."

There was silence for a moment, then Bill heard very weakly. _Is he okay?_

"Sabrina just fed him. He's sleeping. Don't give up."

_ Time will tell._ he slowly opened his eyes. _I need a cigarette._

"A cigarette? Pardon?"

Mewtwo smiled, then stretched out fully again. _Goodnight._

"Night." Bill remained at his side even as sleep claimed them both.

* * *

The world felt warm and soft. Jesse hadn't felt like this for so long. Somehow her soul was at rest. A part of her had returned.

"Jesse?"

Something was calling her out of sleep. Memories of the journey from Woodland Labs were still fresh in her mind. Distantly, Jesse could feel sensation come back into her hands and feet. "Two? Is that you?"

"No."

Jesse opened her eyes, then felt a tug at her heart. "James...?" she felt excitement and happiness build in her heart.

"Its good to see you," he put his hand on her cheek. "Something told me to drop by today."

"What?" Jesse leaned into his hand. "Who?"

"Believe it or not, a Mew," he smiled.

"A Mew?" Jesse tried to sit up and winced. "Ahh!"

"Don't move, don't move..." James propped up a few more pillows. "You're in bad shape. I'll take care of you."

Jesse found herself on the verge of tears. "James...how...after all I did to you...why?"

"Jesse. You're my best friend. I can forgive anything you've done. It doesn't matter now anyway, I'm here."

* * *

It was another long night. Nurse Joy had her hands full. Not only with her normal duties, but also with caring for Mewtwo and the kitten. Their condition seemed linked to each other. If Two was feeling very bad, the baby did poorly as well. Everyone had become accustomed to calling the baby "Little Two."

Joy yawned and made her usual rounds in the center. First stop was Mewtwo's room. She opened the door and stepped back. Mewtwo wasn't in his bed. "Oh great, now where-" she walked up the hall and looked in the baby's room. There he was. IV's dangling from every part of his body and bandages lose and about to fall off. He leaned over the small crib. Joy folded her arms and watched.

Mewtwos tail twitched in thought, then stopped and rested on the ground. "You really are a little thing," he picked the small form up. "Easy now."

Joy smiled when "Little Two" yawned and curled up in Mewtwo's arms. She let them share a moment of silence, then stepped into the room. "Everyone calls him Little Two. And he has certainly has been winning hears since he arrived here."

"Little Two...fits him. He is tiny." Mewtwo put the kitten back in the crib. "Little Two." he smiled. "And when you get older, your name will be _Eltwo_."

"El-two?"

"Short for Little Two," Mewtwo smiled and went back to his room.

"Eltwo, that's cute..." Joy smiled. "I'll put that down on the papers. Eltwo."

* * *

Mewtwo looked up from his book as Sabrina and Bill came in the room. "Sabrina, Bill..."  
"Hey!" Sabrina ran forward and hugged him fiercely. "You're awake! I thought you'd never pull out of it!"

"Me either," he gratefully hugged her back. For a moment he wondered where the other mewtwos had gotten to, if they needed medical help as well.

"Something on your mind?" Bill said, putting an arm around Sabrina's shoulders.

"Nothing that can't wait," Mewtwo set his book down.

Sabrina knew that it wouldn't do any good to press the issue, so she let it go. "We received a letter from Jesse in the mail yesterday. She wanted us to tell you that she was okay. She's met up with an old friend and is staying with him for the time."

"That's good news," Mewtwo was relieved that Jesse had survived her ordeal, and so far there had been no evidence of Team Rocket making a retaliatory strike against either of them. "I can't wait to go back home."

* * *

"Think you can make it Two? I don't want you straining too much." Sabrina looked over her shoulder, and Jamie, her and Bills newborn daughter, did likewise while riding in a small harness on Sabrina's back.

"I'm fine," Mewtwo carefully pulled himself up the trail. "This trip gets shorter every time."

"The kids enjoy it, and that's all that counts," Sabrina giggled when Little Two popped out of Mewtwo's backpack and rested his head on his fathers shoulder. Little Two hadn't spoken yet or even opened his eyes, but he was already showing extreme intelligence. "That kittens going to take after his daddy!" Sabrina laughed.

"Speaking of dads, is Bill okay with all the stuff?"

"Yeah, he's made the trip before," Sabrina looked ahead. "And we're here!"

Mewtwo smiled as they arrived at the hot spring, things were getting back to normal. They were a family again. Bill and Sabrina had Jamie, and Mewtwo had Eltwo to care for and raise. In the month since the ordeal, he hadn't heard from the other mewtwos, in some ways it was almost as if he had dreamed them all up. But he had faith that they would surface again. After all he himself remained in hiding for many years before moving in Sabrina. Only time would tell.

Later that night, Mewtwo sat on a outcropping of rock looking at the stars. Little Two was sleeping in his backpack that was hanging on a tree branch. Bill and Sabrina put the finishing touches on dinner by the campfire.

"Mew mew!"** Mewtwo!**

"Hello Mew."

** "Finally caught-up with ya!"** the pink Pokemon settled down a bubble. **"Aside from how to change diapers, did this little adventure teach you anything new?"**

Mewtwo thought about it for a moment, and decided to answer from his heart. "I learned to laugh, I learned to cry," he said thoughtfully. "I learned to love, what it's like to be loved. I learned what true friendship is, I've learned so many things that tell me what an asshole I've been," he looked over at Little Two sleeping soundly. "And I know I've got so much more to learn. And that it won't be easy."

* * *

_End Part 1_

* * *

_Authors Note: Please check my profile page for updates._


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